Rajasthan Royals (RR) batting all-rounder Riyan Parag admitted to managing a lot of stress during the 2025 IPL season while playing with a shoulder injury. The 23-year-old suffered the injury at the end of last year, forcing him to miss time after this year's IPL season.Parag returned to action in the 2025 Duleep Trophy quarterfinal against North Zone, leading the East Zone unit. The right-hander scored a 47-ball 39 and picked up a wicket with the ball in the drawn outing.Talking to the reporters after the game, Parag opened up on his injury and IPL season, saying (via TOI):"Since the IPL, I haven't really played any cricket. IPL also, I was managing a lot of stress and stuff like that. But this was a good outing. Not in a good way with the amount of overs we fielded. But then still, rolled my arm for a few overs, batted for a while. I could have converted it for a bigger score, but I'm happy. The arm also feels much better."He added:"The match felt good. I mean, that was the main goal when I came here to play the game. Performances, I didn't really focus on it that much. I just wanted to have some fun. I haven't played competitive cricket in a long time."Despite the game ending in a draw, Riyan Parag's East Zone got eliminated, having conceded a 175-run first innings lead."If I get selected there, I do that" - Riyan Parag on his Team India futureRiyan Parag opened up about his next steps in an attempt to return to the Indian white-ball squads. The youngster debuted in the ODI and T20I formats in the middle of last year, becoming a regular in the latter before the injury.However, Parag missed India's last two T20I series against South Africa and England and is named only as part of the stand-by list for the upcoming Asia Cup."I think it's back to basics now. I took a break for the shoulder and stuff like that happened. Ranji is coming in, then the Australia tour is coming in (in October). If I get selected there, I do that. Otherwise, I will go back to domestic cricket and do what I've been doing for the last 2-3 years. Be top scoring every single game, and have a good IPL and play for the country again," said Parag (via the aforementioned source).Riyan Parag had a relatively quiet IPL 2025 season, scoring 393 runs at an average of 32.25 with a lone half-century in 14 games. His inconsistencies meant RR finished ninth in the standings with only four wins in 14 matches.