Riyan Parag could be India's answer to next MS Dhoni: Robin Uthappa

No matter how much fans deny it but the day isn’t far when MS Dhoni will decide to retire from the game. The Ranchi wicketkeeper-batsman has been a stalwart for India in the middle-order since his debut in 2004. Now, with him hanging up his boots, the Indian cricket will be without a fantastic finisher. Not only this, but his ability to take pressure on himself is also credible. Soon, we might see the Indian team looking for replacements. However, it seems that Robin Uthappa has found one already.

In an interaction recently, the Rajasthan Royals batsman has revealed that Riyan Parag is someone who can be a replacement of MS Dhoni. It is quite surprising that Uthappa chose the 18-year-old Parag over someone like Rishabh Pant or KL Rahul. The young Assam batsman has made quite a name for himself since the last season of IPL where he played for Rajasthan Royals.

Robin Uthappa pins down his hopes on young Riyan Parag

“Currently, the young player which excites me out of my socks in Riyan Parag. I am extremely excited and he is the one to watch out for. I think he is someone who is looked after well and dealt well and nurtured well and will represent India for a very long time. He could be India’s answer to the next MS Dhoni,” the 34-year-old Uthappa told Cricfit.

Parag was part of the 2018 U19 Indian team which won the World Cup in New Zealand under the captaincy of Prithvi Shaw. Last season, he made an impression with the bat when he became the youngest batsman ever to score an IPL fifty. In five innings which he played for Royals in that season, he scored 160 runs at a strike rate of 127. The young player also picked up two wickets with the ball. He got three 40+ scores for Royals in the tournament, two of them were match-winning innings played in the middle order under pressure.

Steve Smith, the Royals captain also had some really kind words for the young player from Assam. “Parag was really impressive; I have been watching him in the nets and with the bat looks like a seasoned campaigner. He’s a great kid and has a great future, I hope I was as confident when I was 17. When you are young and come into a team you have a carefree attitude and kept playing his shots,” he had said.