Riyan Parag, who has not featured for India in more than a year, believes his current absence from the national sides is down to a troublesome shoulder and not a dip in ability. Speaking to The Hindu after guiding Assam to a 58-run win over Vidarbha in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in Lucknow, the all-rounder insisted he remains capable of contributing in both white-ball formats.“I felt I was pretty decent for India. This is my belief, or overconfidence; you can say whatever you want,” he said. “But I know that because my shoulder was injured, I am currently not playing for India. Otherwise, I think I can play both white-ball formats. Whenever I am fully fit, you will see me in India colours again.”
Parag last featured in a T20I in October 2024 against Bangladesh and played his lone ODI earlier that August versus Sri Lanka. Though his name floated around as a possible pick for the upcoming T20I series against South Africa starting 9 December, he ultimately did not make the cut.Assam have managed two wins from five matches under his captaincy this season, yet Riyan has struggled with the bat, collecting only 39 runs at an average of 7.80 and not bowling a single over. Even so, he is far from rattled by the numbers. “I have been through these phases too many times. In domestic cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL), there have been three to four years where I have had to struggle a lot. I am also returning from an injury, so I have to be mindful about that,” he said.He also cautioned against reading too much into SMAT form when it comes to IPL readiness. “I had two SMAT seasons where I scored at an average of 45-50 in seven matches, and then couldn’t score 70 runs in the IPL in 14 matches. I have cried in the bathroom because I wasn’t scoring runs. I have wondered whether I should practise or not practise at all, or whether I should go on a vacation. “This [Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy] is all for muscle memory. If I score runs, then it is very good. If I don’t score, it is not like I won’t score in the IPL. Because it has happened that after scoring here, I have not scored there,” he added. Riyan arrives at this SMAT on the back of two contrasting IPL journeys: five seasons where nothing quite clicked, followed by a breakout 2024 with 573 runs at an average above 50 and a strike rate of 149.21, and a strong 2025 edition with 393 runs at 166.52.While the youngster is bullish about his own return, Ravichandran Ashwin recently struck a more cautious note when asked about Riyan’s chances of breaking into India’s ODI middle order. The off spinner argued that India need someone who can operate at No.5 or 6 and offer a few overs, roles Parag has not occupied for Assam or Rajasthan Royals.
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Ashwin’s recent assessment of Parag added another layer to the conversation. The off spinner said that while Parag is “a fine talent” with strong List A numbers, he still needs to prove he can operate at No.5 or 6 in ODIs and offer some overs — something he hasn’t consistently done for Assam or RR. Ashwin argued that versatility remains the key to an ODI spot, a challenge Parag may now look to meet once fully fit.Even so, the debate around Parag continues, and his confidence in his own future remains firm. For now, he says his only priority is recovering fully so he can push for India colours again.
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