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Rajasthan Royals' young gun Riyan Parag has disclosed some words of wisdom from Virat Kohli that helped him burnish his match-finishing skills in IPL 2020.
At 19, Riyan Parag has come of age to become one of the lynchpins of Rajasthan Royals' middle-order. The all-rounder has already played many match-winning cameos for the franchise and now handles the arduous job of ensuring a late flourish in the top-heavy batting lineup.
Speaking to Cricbuzz, Riyan Parag recalled Virat Kohli advising him not to worry about accolades like the Orange Cap and instead focus on getting as many runs as possible for the team. Parag remarked that the words stuck to him and he now tries to bat only for the benefit of his team.
"No, it doesn't actually [if not getting a lot of chances to bat matters to him]. I had a chat with Virat Kohli during the last IPL. He specifically told me that 'you are not going to get the Orange Cap. You bat No. 5 or No. 6 so there is no point in you thinking about the Orange Cap. You just think about how you can get those crucial 20 or 30 runs and when you get the chance to go in at a crucial phase, just think how you can get the team through.' So that really fit in my mind and now I don't think about how many runs I'm getting, I just think how my runs are benefiting the team," said Riyan Parag.
Riyan Parag's acumen was tangible in Rajasthan Royals' first game of IPL 2021. Chasing a massive total of 222 against Punjab Kings, Riyan Parag played a scintillating cameo of 25 runs off just 11 balls, including one four and 3 sixes.
One of those maximums came against one of India's premier fast bowlers, Mohammed Shami, off a nonchalant flick over deep mid-wicket. Although the Royals fell 4 runs short of the target, Parag's knock played a crucial role in getting them that close.
Playing against Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni makes you 'mentally strong': Riyan Parag
Speaking further, Riyan Parag said the IPL has made a huge positive impact on his life. He emphasized that rubbing shoulders with established names like Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni makes youngsters 'mentally strong' and gives them an edge in handling critical situations.
"Mentally, it has been a big positive impact. When you play for your state, you get to play India's best players. But when you play IPL, you get to share the dressing room with players like Steve Smith, Ajinkya Rahane, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer. These are top current international cricket players. And then when you come up against people like Virat Kohli or MS Dhoni, it makes you mentally very strong," he said.
When you play the IPL, you obviously have the skill level, but what gives you the extra edge is that mental aspect. So when you play in front of big crowds on a platform like this, it gives you immense mental strength," signed off Riyan Parag.
Riyan Parag will be back in action for the Royals when they take on Delhi Capitals in Mumbai on Thursday.
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