Virat Kohli welcomed Riyan Parag into the Indian team after Parag earned his ODI cap. Parag had recently dominated Sri Lanka in the final T20I with a three-wicket haul but watched from the sidelines as Team India struggled against the home team’s spinners. With Wanindu Hasaranga, Charith Asalanka, and Jeffrey Vandersay spinning a web around the Indian batters, and the Indian spinners not being as effective, Rohit Sharma considered bringing in another spin option—possibly Parag. However, the call wasn’t made despite the first ODI ending in a tie.
Only after Sri Lanka defeated India by 32 runs, putting them on the brink of losing their first bilateral ODI series to the Lankans, Rohit was forced to make changes. Riyan Parag, known for his golden arm and being a potential star in the Gautam Gambhir era, followed up his T20I debut with an ODI cap in the series decider at Colombo on Wednesday.
Who better to hand over Parag’s prized possession than Virat Kohli? Riyan Parag made his India debut earlier this month during the tour of Zimbabwe, where he didn’t have much success or many opportunities to showcase his talent. He scored 22 and 7 in the two innings he batted, which wasn’t enough to assess his abilities. However, his stunning figures of 3/5 in the T20I against Sri Lanka made many believe it was only a matter of time before he joined the ODI squad.
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That dream became a reality when Kohli welcomed India’s ODI Player No. 256 into the team. In a heartfelt speech, Kohli praised Parag and expressed the confidence that the team had in his abilities. “Riyan, congratulations on your debut for India. In today’s cricket, it’s not just about performance; the selectors saw something unique in you. After speaking to GG Bhai, selectors, Rohit, and everyone, they all see something special in you,” Kohli said in a video shared by BCCI.
“You have what it takes to be a game-changer for India. I know you believe that, and we all believe in you. There’s no better time to step in than today, with the series on the line. With your impactful presence in the field, with bat, ball, and fielding, I wish you all the best. Cap 256, Riyan Parag.”
Riyan Parag immediately made an impact, validating the faith Kohli and the team had in him. With Sri Lanka cruising at 171/1, Parag provided the breakthrough by dismissing a well-set Avishka Fernando, just four runs short of his century. Parag then trapped Sri Lankan captain Charith Asalanka LBW for 10, making it two wickets in two overs. On a surface where Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, and even Kuldeep Yadav struggled, Parag took a third wicket by sending back Dunith Wellalage, the danger man from the first two ODIs. His final figures were an impressive 3/42 in 8 overs.
As Irfan Pathan had pointed out, Parag’s ability to bowl gives him an edge over many others, including Sanju Samson, in India’s Playing XI.
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