'First be patriotic' - Sreesanth schools Riyan Parag amid controversial statement of not watching T20 World Cup

With the whole nation celebrating India's victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup, a controversy has sparked involving young cricketer Riyan Parag and former fast bowler S Sreesanth.

Parag's pre-tournament comments about not watching the Men in Blue's matches at the T20 World Cup have drawn sharp criticism, with Sreesanth giving a stern reply about the importance of patriotism in cricket.

Parag, fresh off an impressive IPL 2024 season where he scored 531 runs for Rajasthan Royals, found himself in the middle of the controversy after opening up about not watching the World Cup. 

“It will be a biased answer (prediction on the top four teams), but to be very honest, I don't even want to watch the World Cup. I'll just see who wins it at the end, and I'll be happy. When I play in the World Cup, I will think about the top four and all of that,” Parag had said earlier in an interview that went viral on social media.

Also read: BCCI announces 15-member squad, Shubman Gill announced as captain

The two-time World Cup winner didn't mince words when addressing Parag's comments during the T20 World Cup 2024 final broadcast.

“Some youngsters have also said that they will not watch the World Cup because they have not been selected. I would say that first you should be patriotic, then yes, you should be a cricket lover. But those who have selected the team, they should be supported with all their heart, mind and passion,” Sreesanth said on air during the T20 World Cup 2024 final,” the ex-India cricketer told Star Sports.

Also read: Riyan Parag reacts after maiden India call-up for Zimbabwe tour

The former pacer emphasized the need for young players to prioritize national pride over personal disappointment. He urged them to support the team and respect the selectors' decisions wholeheartedly. 

Interestingly, Parag has received his maiden India call-up for the upcoming five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, starting July 6. Along with Abhishek Sharma, Tushar Deshpande and Dhruv Jurel, Parag will have the opportunity to prove himself on the international stage under the leadership of Shubman Gill.