"People think I have some connections or sources, that’s absolutely HORSE****"- Riyan Parag slams critics for doubting his IPL selection

Riyan Parag has been frustrated with the talks flying around that he got into the Rajasthan Royals (RR) team only because of connections and not merit. The all-rounder has had a few tough seasons and hasn't been able to deliver on the promise that he showed back in 2019.

This has made many believe that Parag has been held onto by the franchise only because he has sources. However, the all-rounder rubbished these talks and spoke about how hard he works on himself to put his best foot forward for the team.

Speaking to cricket.com, here's what Riyan Parag had to say about these rumours:

“What hurts me the most is that people think I take it for granted, I have some connections or sources, and that’s absolutely HORSE****, I told you about my journey. People from Assam haven’t played at the IPL level, I’m going to play a lot more. I do not take anything for granted, I have the craziest work ethic, you can ask people who are close to me. All that goes unnoticed because I don’t brag about it on social media. You can have all the assumptions if you don’t want to know me.”

Riyan Parag also spoke about how he channels his anger and frustration into gaming. He added:

“Have been trying to control my anger. I used to get really mad after getting out, I would punish myself by not eating, sleeping late, and just going for runs even when I’m tired. I take out that thought process while I’m gaming. I used to play a lot of Counter-Strike, after that, Valorant. Counter-Strike 2 is coming, so I will definitely switch to that. I also play other games: Uncharted, Red Dead Redemption and Spiderman: Spider-Verse. I’m a total gamer.”

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I want to play cricket the way I want: Riyan Parag

Not just fans, but some commentators on air have also criticized Riyan Parag in the past, based on some of his celebrations after taking a catch or his body language on the field in general. However, the youngster doesn't let it affect him as he believes in enjoying his game.

Here's what he stated:

“I DO NOT CARE. I DEFINITELY DO NOT CARE ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT ME. I’M GOING TO PLAY CRICKET THE WAY I STARTED PLAYING CRICKET, THAT WAS ME HAVING **** TONS OF FUN. I want to play cricket the way I want to play. Performances for me don’t really matter, as long as I’m having fun and can stay calm, I think it is sorted, man."

Riyan Parag has been in stunning form for East Zone in the Deodhar Trophy and is crucial for their chances in the final against South Zone.