‘He hasn’t really done anything other than fancy celebrations’ – Aakash Chopra, Dale Steyn question RR’s backing for Riyan Parag

Former cricketers Aakash Chopra and Dale Steyn was a tad bemused after the Rajasthan Royals continued to show their backing for Riyan Parag despite the latter’s poor run with the bat in the 2021 Indian Premier League. In 10 matches, the right-handed batter has scored 84 runs at an average of 12 and a strike rate of 125.37 with a top score of 25.

With his slow off-breaks, Parag has picked up a solitary wicket and has leaked runs at an economy rate of 11.50. Chopra reckoned that Parag hasn’t done anything significant and should make way for Shivam Dube, who has scored 145 runs at an average of 24.16 in IPL 2021. Chopra came down hard on RR for giving Parag chances over Dube.

“Why don’t they go to Shivam Dube, man? Riyan Parag has done nothing, next to nothing, bowls with a very strange action [that too, only] one over. Why not Shivam Dube? He can bat, has played for India. You bought him for 4.5 crore, what is he doing on the benches? I have got no idea,” Chopra was quoted as saying in ESPNcricinfo.

Riyan Parag hasn’t really done anything, says Steyn

Steyn, who retired from all forms of cricket last month, echoed Chopra’s words and believed that Dube should get a chance in the playing eleven in place of an out-of-form Parag.

“Riyan Parag hasn’t really done anything. You know, there’s nothing that I can remember other than some fancy celebrations (chuckles). Kumar Sangakkara must really see something in this youngster that he hasn’t shown yet.

“I love Kumar and I can trust him with my entire life so if he sees something in that young man, I am going to let it be. But Shivam Dube is a great player, he’s sitting on the sidelines there and probably chomping at the bits,” Steyn said.

Parag came to the fore for the Royals in 2019 and hogged the limelight with his fearless strike-play. As far as the Royals are concerned, they are languishing at the bottom half of the points table. In 10 matches, RR have accumulated eight points and have net run rate of -0.369.