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Riyan Parag on the way to Zimbabwe, pic: x

Xtra Time Web Desk: Riyan Parag recently addressed the intense trolling he faced during a rough patch in his career, stating he did not deserve the negative backlash. The youngster has earned his maiden India call-up for the 5-match T20i series against Zimbabwe. Parag initially gained attention after the U19 World Cup 2018 in New Zealand, where India emerged victorious against Australia in the final. Subsequently, he was picked by Rajasthan Royals to play in the IPL.

While Parag impressed in his debut IPL season in 2019, he struggled to perform consistently over the next four seasons, leading to questions about his position in the team. The criticism reached a peak during this period, affecting him deeply. However, the 2024 edition of the IPL proved to be a turning point. Parag finished among the leading run-scorers, which paved the way for his selection to the national team.

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"It's not easy. But then again, after last year, I had a chat with myself. And this sort of a comeback is personal because I had to put up with stuff I didn't really deserve. Maybe I've lacked in preparation, maybe I've lacked in a few things, but then I've always put my best foot forward. I thought I didn't deserve all the trolling, but what could I do? People are going to say things regardless. Last year they said I wasn't good enough to play in the IPL. Now they want me in the Indian team. So, people change, just like a switch,” Parag told ESPNcricinfo.

Reflecting on the constant criticism, Parag said it made life tough when he was underperforming in the IPL. However, he acknowledged that the difficult phase made him more mature.

"Maturity comes with pain. There are millions watching the IPL. When I don't perform, I feel terrible. And people add to it. Opinions from fans add to it. Opinions from great players add to it. So, I just had to figure out what really mattered.

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"Why was I getting so much hate? Why was I getting negative energy from all the people except those from the Royals set-up? I tried to understand my game. And once I started doing that, I got this sudden love for getting into cricket a lot," Parag added.

In IPL 2024, Parag finished as the third-highest run-scorer, amassing 573 runs from 16 matches at an average of 52.09 and a strike rate of 149.21, including four half-centuries and a top score of 84 not out.