Veteran Australian spinner Brad Hogg heaped praise on young Riyan Parag and said the flamboyant batter has shown signs of maturity this season with the bat. Parag, who has been part of the Royals franchise since 2019, finally showed good signs with the bat in IPL 2024 and scored 185 runs in 4 matches at an astonishing average of 92.50.
He is already having his best IPL season with bat as his previous top was in 2022 when he scored 183 runs in 17 matches.The team management has also elevated Parag’s role in the side as he has been batting at the crucial number 4 spot which has worked well for him.
The 22-year-old has already played a couple of match-winning knocks for the Royals as they are the only team with an unbeaten record in IPL 2024 – four wins in as many matches.
Hogg called the Royals the most balanced unit and suggested that they will only get stronger when Sandeep Sharma returns from injury.
“According to me, Rajasthan Royals are the best-balanced team in the tournament. I like the way how they have set their entire lineup. If Sandeep Sharma can get fully fit as well, then he can add up as the sixth bowling option for them,” he said.
Meanwhile, the former Aussie spinner talked highly of Parag’s change in attitude and suggested that he still has the ego but with maturity, he has been able to control it well.
“And I am really liking when I am seeing young (Riyan) Parag. He is the youngest player to hit a fifty in the history of IPL. I love his energy and I love the way he fields. I think he has really matured this year. Last year, I guess he had a bit of a strut on him. I don’t say this disrespectfully but I think he had a bit of ego last year. The ego is still there but it is in control. He believes in himself and he is now more worried about what he can do for the team rather than trying to seal his place in the team,”