The brightest star among the youth of Indian cricket, Riyan Parag, has had a journey from a small town in Assam to the international cricket stage, nothing less than a true fairy tale.
The journey of this young cricketer who has made his name in the world of Indian cricket is full of inspiration.
Playing with the legends of cricket was always a distant dream for Riyan Parag. The Assam all-rounder dreamt of cricket by watching his idols on television and today he is playing on the field with those very players.
With his determination and the support of his parents, Parag made it to the Indian cricket team, and his dream came true.
Last month, Parag started his international cricket career with his T20 debut in Zimbabwe. It was a significant milestone, a result of his hard work and struggle. But the real emotional climax came when he got the chance to make his ODI debut in Sri Lanka.
Riyan Parag spoke on his ODI debut experience in a video shared by BCCI on X,
“Coming from Assam, it seemed impossible for me to come here and play with the players I looked up to in my childhood. That was the motto when I started out, but me and my dad made it a mission.”
His dream became even more special when he made it to India’s squad for the three-match ODI series in Sri Lanka. Parag gave this happy news to his parents via video call, and it was natural for them to be emotional. Staying in the same hotel, practising with players he always idolised, was a surreal experience for him.
The Rajasthan Royals (RR) star cricketer made his ODI debut in the third ODI against Sri Lanka at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo.
Parag said in his dressing room speech.
“It all feels very surreal. When I called my mother for the first time, we all got emotional. This experience is very special for me,”
Although Parag did not get a chance to play in the first two ODIs against Sri Lanka, he found a place in India’s playing XI in the third ODI. The first match of the series ended in a draw, and Sri Lanka won the second ODI by 32 runs.
India now look to the last ODI in Colombo on August 7, which India need to win to avoid defeat in the bilateral series against Sri Lanka.
Riyan Parag’s journey is an inspiration, proving that with determination and hard work any dream can be realised. Hearing his success stories in the world of cricket, every young player gets inspired to fulfill their dreams.
