Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has delivered a cautious verdict on young all-rounder Riyan Parag's immediate prospects of breaking into the national One-Day International side. Ashwin's comments come amid growing public debate about India's search for reliable late-overs firepower, a weakness highlighted during the recent ODI series against South Africa.
The Context: India's Middle-Order Conundrum
The discussion around Parag's potential inclusion gained significant momentum after India's second ODI against South Africa in Raipur, where the team's batting struggled to find acceleration in the final overs. The situation was further amplified by the underwhelming performances of all-rounder Washington Sundar in the first two matches of that series. Sundar managed scores of just 13 and 1 and bowled only seven overs without taking a wicket, leading many to speculate about a like-for-like replacement.
Fans and pundits have pointed to Riyan Parag as a possible solution. The 23-year-old made his ODI debut in August 2024 against Sri Lanka but has not played a 50-over game for India since. He has also earned nine T20I caps, with his last appearance coming in October 2024 against Bangladesh.
Ashwin's Detailed Analysis on Social Media
Ashwin, who has shared the dressing room with Parag at the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League, took to social media platform X to share his nuanced perspective. While acknowledging Parag as "a fine talent" with an impressive List A average of 41, Ashwin expressed reservations about his readiness for the specific role India needs to fill.
The veteran cricketer explained that the current Indian team requires a middle-order batter who can inject momentum and also contribute a few overs with the ball. According to Ashwin, Parag does not currently fit this specific brief. The core of his argument hinges on batting position. Ashwin pointed out that Parag has not spent considerable time batting at No.5 or No.6, neither for his state side Assam in domestic cricket nor for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL.
In recent seasons, Parag has largely operated at No.3 or 4. Ashwin also referenced the player's earlier stint as a finisher for RR, noting that it did not yield strong returns, further complicating his case for the lower-middle-order slot.
The Path Forward: Demonstrating Adaptability
Ashwin drew a parallel to opener Ruturaj Gaikwad's current experimentation at the No.4 position in ODIs. He suggested that Gaikwad's IPL experience at No.3 shows a conscious effort, either by the player or the selectors, to display flexibility in the batting order.
Applying the same logic to Parag, Ashwin concluded that the young all-rounder must now demonstrate similar adaptability at the domestic level. To seriously push for the No.5 or 6 slot in ODIs, Parag needs to proactively seek those positions in domestic List A tournaments and the IPL, and perform consistently. Only by proving his capability in those specific roles can he present a compelling case to the national selectors.
Ashwin's guarded assessment tempers the immediate excitement around Parag's selection, instead outlining a clear development path for the talented youngster to eventually stake his claim in the Indian ODI setup.
