“Ache bowlers ke against legs trembling karte hain iske” - Fans split over Riyan Parag’s bragging gesture during SMAT 2023

Assam batter Riyan Parag has been in exceptional form in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023. In fact, he is the leading run-getter in the Indian domestic competition as of now, having smashed 490 runs in eight innings at an average of 122.50 and a strike rate of 189.19.

The 21-year-old has crossed the half-century mark in his last seven innings. After beginning the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023 with a 45-run knock against Odisha, his subsequent scores in the T20 competition read as follows - 61 vs Bihar, 76* vs Services, 53* vs Sikkim, 76 vs Chandigarh, 72 Himachal, 57* vs Kerala and 50* vs Bengal.

With his sixth consecutive fifty, Parag broke the record for most successive T20 half-centuries (five), which was jointly held by former India opener Virender Sehwag, David Warner, Jos Buttler, and a few others.

While the batter’s brilliant form has won him plenty of praise, a recent video in which he was seen suggesting that no other player in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023 is a match for him has met with mixed responses from cricket fans.

Some have hailed him for his “confidence”, while others have criticized him for his "arrogance", even pointing out his poor IPL record. Here are some reactions to the viral video of Riyan’s gesture:

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Riyan Parag’s stats

Parag has so far featured in 25 first-class matches, 48 List A games, and 96 T20s, scoring 1,420, 1,688, and 2,023 runs, respectively. He has an average of 32.27 in first-class cricket, 42.20 in his List A career, and 30.65 in T20s. His strike rate in the T20 format is 142.76 and he has also notched up 18 fifties, with a best of 77 not out.

In addition to his batting skills, the youngster is also a handy part-time spinner. He has claimed 49 scalps in first-class matches, 50 in List A games, and 41 in the T20 format.

Parag, however, has a very poor record in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Representing Rajasthan Royals (RR), he has scored 600 runs in 54 matches at an average of 16.22 and a strike rate of 123.97. With the ball, he has picked up four wickets at an economy rate of 10.70.