Riyan Parag: Versatile Talent Ready for India’s White-Ball Cricket

Riyan Parag, an all-rounder who hasn’t represented India in over a year, attributes his absence from the national team to a shoulder injury and maintains that he is capable of playing both white-ball formats for India. Riyan last appeared in a T20I match in October last year against Bangladesh, and his only ODI came against Sri Lanka in August 2024. Despite the possibility of being selected for the upcoming five-match T20I series against South Africa starting December 9, he was ultimately not included.

“I believe I performed decently for India, whether that’s overconfidence or just belief,” Riyan shared with select media after leading Assam to a 58-run victory over Vidarbha in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. “It’s because of my shoulder injury that I’m not currently playing. Once I’m fully fit, I intend to wear the India colors again.”

Despite Assam securing two wins in five matches under his leadership, Riyan has been struggling with the bat, scoring only 39 runs across five innings at an average of 7.80, without bowling in the competition. Nevertheless, Riyan is not overly concerned about this slump.

“I’ve faced such phases numerous times in both domestic cricket and the IPL—years where I’ve had to persevere significantly. I’m also coming back from an injury, so that’s something I need to manage,” Riyan noted. He also mentioned that a productive domestic T20 season is not necessarily indicative of IPL success.

In the past, Riyan experienced two Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy seasons averaging 45-50 over seven matches, yet struggled to score 70 runs in 14 IPL matches. “I’ve been quite emotional about my performance in the past, but I treat this tournament as a means to build muscle memory,” he explained. Despite initial struggles, Riyan had a breakthrough IPL season in 2024, scoring 573 runs at an average over 50, which he followed with another solid performance in IPL 2025.

Amid changes in the Rajasthan Royals team, with Sanju Samson being traded to Chennai Super Kings, Riyan is a leading candidate for full-time captaincy. Having already captained the team in eight matches due to Samson’s injury, Riyan is ready to embrace this potential role.

“I found my decision-making to be effective 80-85% of the time in the last IPL season,” Riyan stated. “While the final captaincy decision will occur post-auction, I’m prepared to take on the role if chosen. But if the team benefits more from my contributions as a player, that’s where I’ll focus my energy.”

Riyan also spoke candidly about the off-field demands of captaincy, explaining that while it offers visibility, it requires attending meetings, sponsor events, and media engagements. As he steps into a senior leadership position with the Rajasthan Royals, Riyan expressed that he will miss Sanju Samson, who played a key role in his IPL journey since he joined as an 18-year-old.

“I choose not to dwell on Sanju’s absence; it would just make me sad. He was instrumental in my early days with the team, offering guidance and support. In recent years, he also entrusted me with vice-captaincy duties during Jos’s absences, encouraging me to engage with the bowlers and partake in team discussions,” Riyan shared.

Published on December 5, 2025.