'Dare to Dream' - Riyan Parag reacts after maiden India call-up for Zimbabwe tour

India named a 15-member squad led by Shubman Gill for the upcoming tour of Zimbabwe in July and Riyan Parag was one of the four players who received their maiden call-up.

On Monday, June 24, the All India Senior Men's Selection Committee announced the squad for the side which will play five T20Is against Zimbabwe in Harare, starting with the first game on July 6. Apart from Parag, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Reddy, and Tushar Deshpande were picked in India's side for the first time. Meanwhile, Dhruv Jurel received his maiden call-up to India's limited-overs team after putting in some impressive performances in the Test arena.

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According to various reports, India were expected to name a relatively inexperienced side for the Zimbabwe tour as the star players were set to be rested after the T20 World Cup 2024. Parag was one of the players who was strongly in contention for selection after having his best Indian Premier League (IPL) season earlier this year. The Assam captain couldn't hold back his excitement after being picked in the Men in Blue squad and expressed his elation on 'X'.

"DARE TO DREAM," the talented Rajasthan Royals batter posted a photo with this small yet impactful message.

Riyan Parag's performances in IPL 2024

Parag received a lot of criticism over the years as he couldn't do justice to his talent while playing the IPL. However, that changed in the 17th edition of the cash-rich league as the right-handed batter was an epitome of consistency.

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In 15 matches, he amassed 573 runs at an average of 52.09 and a strike rate of 149.22, registering four half-centuries. He hit 40 fours and 33 sixes during the tournament and finished third on the list of leading run-getters in the tournament. Parag would hope that his purple patch continues for the national team.