Indian middle-order batsman Tilak Varma has failed to make it to the national cricket squad for the upcoming white-ball series against Sri Lanka, which begins on Saturday, July 27. Young Assam all-rounder Riyan Parag has been included in India’s T20I and ODI squads against Sri Lanka in the absence of Tilak Varma.
Tilak Varma has been sidelined since the 2024 IPL season due to a hand injury. He recovered from the initial injury at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. However, he suffered an injury in the other hand. The left-handed batsman was not considered for the series against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.
Varma made his international debut in a T20I match against the West Indies in 2023. He scored 173 runs in five matches at an average of 57.67 and a strike rate of 140.65 during his first series. He has represented the Men in Blue in 16 T20I matches, scoring 336 runs at an average of 33.60 and a strike rate of 139.42.
The 21-year-old batsman made his ODI debut against Bangladesh in the 2023 Asia Cup. The left-hander last played for the Indian team in an ODI match against South Africa in December last year. Overall, he has scored 68 runs in four matches at an average of 22.67 and a strike rate of 57.14, with a best score of 52.
Selectors want to back Riyan Parag for future, report says
According to a report by the Times of India, Riyan Parag has been selected for the T20I and ODI squads for the Sri Lanka tour due to Tilak Varma’s injury. The report added that Riyan can contribute with both bat and ball, making him a promising prospect for India’s future in white-ball cricket.
“Parag is very talented and has improved his attitude towards the game on several levels. He is now looking to stay on the wicket. To add value to him, he can bowl decently and is an excellent fielder. The selectors want to nurture him for the future,” the source told TOI.
The report further added that Harshit Rana has been selected for the ODIs, considering his ability to bowl yorkers, slower balls and other variations. Rana can be a valuable asset for the Indian cricket team in white-ball cricket.
“He can bowl yorkers, slower balls and employ other variations at the end. That makes him a good option in white-ball cricket,” the source added.
Riyan Parag had impressive performances in domestic cricket and in the IPL 2024. He was the leading run-scorer in the Deodhar Trophy and the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament. He led Assam to their first-ever semi-final in the tournament. In the IPL 2024, he amassed 573 runs at an impressive average of 52.09 and a strike rate of 149.22.
The Assam-born cricketer made his debut for India in the recent T20I series against Zimbabwe. He scored just 24 runs in two innings at a disappointing strike rate of 88.88. Despite his modest performance, he was selected for both white-ball teams for the Sri Lanka tour due to his potential to contribute with both bat and ball.
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