Ranji Trophy 2024-25: Riyan Parag returns to fitness, to lead Assam

In what is a huge boost for Assam, Riyan Parag has been declared fit to make a return to action in the seventh round of the 2024-25 edition of the Ranji Trophy, as per ESPNcricinfo. The final round of the group-stage of India's premier domestic red-ball competition is set to commence on January 30.

The 23-year-old's last competitive game was the third and final T20I of the series against Bangladesh in October 2024. He scored a rapid-fire 34 off just 13 deliveries in that game in Hyderabad. A shoulder injury which required surgery was the reason for which he was not considered for the T20I series in South Africa and the ongoing five-match T20I series against England.

The youngster has played 10 white-ball games (nine T20Is, one ODI) for India to date. Parag, who was with the Indian team for the last ODI series which came against Sri Lanka in 2024, missed out on India's 15-member Champions Trophy squad due to the same reason.

Assam find themselves rock bottom of the Group D points table, having not won any of their six games up until now. They have managed to draw four games and lose two they have played so far. Assam will face Saurashtra at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot, and would be aiming to hamper the latter's chances of making it to the next round.

In his previous Ranji Trophy campaign, he registered 378 runs in six innings at an average of 75.60 and an impressive strike rate of 113.85. Nobody hit more sixes than Parag's 20 last season. Denish Das, who was the standby skipper of the Assam squad till now, sees himself returning to the role of being the vice-captain.

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Assam's squad for fixture vs Saurashtra: Riyan Parag (c), Denish Das (vc), Mukhtar Hussain, Mrinmoy Dutta, Rahul Singh, Dipjyoti Saikia, Parvez Musaraf, Sumit Ghadigaonkar (wk), Rishav Das, Anurag Talukdar (wk), Avinav Choudhury, Sibsankar Roy, Akash Sengupta, Pradyun Saikia, Amlanjyoti Das