IPL 2022: He has huge potential – Kumar Sangakkara backs under-fire Riyan Parag

Rajasthan Royals director of cricket Kumar Sangakkara has put his weight behind under-fire Riyan Parag to come good in the next season of the Tata IPL 2023.

The youngster scored 183 runs in 14 innings in Tata IPL 2022 at an average of 16.64 and a strike rate of 138.63 in the recently concluded season. Parag scored one fifty in the tournament but failed to add the finishing touches in a lot of matches.

The 20-year-old from Guwahati could only manage run-a-ball 15 in the final against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on Sunday. Parag has mustered only 522 runs in 47 IPL matches at a sub-par average of 16.84 and a strike rate of 124.88. Thus, he has failed to come up with consistent performances in the IPL.

RR has backed Riyan Parag in the last few seasons but the youngster has failed to return the goods to the franchise. Ergo, the right-hander will need to turn the tables in the next season of the IPL.

“Riyan Parag has got a huge amount of potential. We have to work him into a higher batting number next season. I look forward to grooming him to become more of an early middle-order player rather than just a death-overs hitter because he is so accomplished against spin as well as pace,” Sangakkara stated while talking on Riyan Parag in the virtual post-match press conference.

On the other hand, Sangakkara feels Ravichandran Ashwin should try to bowl more off-spin. Ashwin has a lot of variations under his belt and he sometimes tries all of them, which doesn’t help his accuracy. Ashwin took 12 wickets in 17 matches for Rajasthan Royals in Tata IPL 2022 at an average of 41.91. However, his economy rate was impressive as he conceded his runs at 7.50.

“Ash has done a great job for us, but even he, being a legend in what he has achieved on the pitch, there will be a lot of improvements and thinking to do, especially with his off-spinners and to bowl more of it.”

RR had a good season as they qualified for the finals but failed to cross the final hurdle against GT.