3 reasons why Rajasthan Royals (RR) should play Riyan Parag at No. 4 in IPL 2023

Riyan Parag has been part of the Rajasthan Royals (RR) setup since the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2019. At 17, the youngster became the youngest player to score a half-century in the tournament. The all-rounder from Assam was a member of India's U19 World Cup-winning squad and was signed by RR soon after.

Signed for a base price of ₹20 lakh, he has since then been a constant part of the side, even cementing his place in the playing XI. Despite a couple of sedate campaigns, Riyan was retained by the franchise ahead of the mega auction last year.

The think tank has always backed the ability of the 21-year-old. With four years in the same franchise, the youngster has mostly played a limited role with both the bat and ball. However, next season might finally be the one when Riyan Parag comes of age.

His batting might have a crucial role to play in doing so. Here, we take a look at three reasons why he should bat at No. 4 for the Rajasthan Royals next season.

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#1 Riyan Parag is coming off an impressive domestic season

The all-rounder from Assam has had an impressive outing in the white-ball formats in the domestic season this year. He played a key role in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, helping Assam reach the semi-finals of the tournament. He scored 552 runs in the tournament, including three centuries, which made most people sit up and take notice.

Even in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he scored 253 runs in nine matches, including a couple of half-centuries. Riyan has been executing his role in the middle order to the best of his abilities.

Coming into the next season of the IPL, RR might want to give the 21-year-old a proper run in the side and trust him with that role.

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#2 It's time to repay the team management's faith

In the years gone by, Riyan has been used as a lower-middle order batter in the Rajasthan Royals setup. With the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin also getting a promotion over him on a few occasions, the team management rarely gave Riyan the platform to take the game on.

Instead, the all-rounder has usually walked in during situations where the game seems lost. Even then, he has shown his worth. In the IPL last season, he scored an unbeaten 56 to help his side over the line in a thrilling contest against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

Despite shielding him from certain situations, the think tank hasn't shied away from trusting the youngster. Retaining him in the mega auction is enough evidence to suggest that the team management has faith in his abilities and it could soon be Riyan's time to deliver.

Historically, RR do have a reputation for allowing budding players to grow. Sanju Samson is probably the best example of that process and the best source of inspiration for Riyan.

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#3 He is better suited to the role compared to the other options Rajasthan Royals might have

The Rajasthan Royals took a few by surprise when they signed Devdutt Padikkal for ₹7.75 crore at the mega-auction last year. With their top order stacked with the likes of Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Sanju Samson, there were a few question marks around where the former RCB player would fit into the side.

The Karnataka batter had an ordinary outing in the IPL last season, scoring 376 runs in 17 matches at a moderate rate of 122.88. He only scored one half-century last season and flattered to deceive more often than not.

With concerns around his strike rate, Padikkal never really managed to slot into the role seamlessly. With fast starts from the aggressive top order, RR would ideally want someone who can take the game forward in the middle order. In that regard, Riyan might be better suited to do so than Padikkal.

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