'Runs started coming in singles': Ravi Shastri questions Riyan Parag's intent

Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri has questioned Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) batter Riyan Parag’s intent in the clash against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Wednesday. Batting first the LSG put in a total of 154 for the loss of 7 wickets. Although the RR chase was given an impetus by an 87-run opening partnership between Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal, the consecutive wickets made the RR batting unit falter. IPL 2023:  Full coverage |  Points table |  Schedule |  Results |  Orange Cap |  Purple Cap​ Riyan Parag came to the crease in the 16th over after Avesh Khan sent Shimron Hetmyer back to the pavilion. RR needed 48 runs in four overs at that point in the match. But Parag played four dot balls in his first two overs with three runs off seven balls. Parag’s innings cost his team a winnable contest and Shastri minced no words while analysing the game on Star Sports. “They lost Samson, they lost Buttler and Jaiswal but still they had enough, a lot of depth. I think that period of play when Riyan Parag came in and the way he played his first eight balls changed the course of the match. Padikkal, at the other end, lost his rhythm as well." By the end of the 17th over the required run rate had climbed to 14.00. In the next over Padikkal, who was also on the crease, sent three deliveries for boundaries, but it still fell short of the required run rate. In the last over the RR required 19 runs. But Lucknow’s Naveen-ul-Haq, after being hit for a four by Parag on the first ball, made no mistake and struck two wickets — Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel — to seal the match for his side. IPL 2023: Rajasthan Royals have a Riyan Parag decision to make “Runs started coming in singles and there was a period of 28 balls that stage without a boundary. When you go through that much time without a boundary, you are asking for trouble,” Shastri added. “They knew what they were chasing. Luckily, they are on top of the table and they will learn a lot from this defeat. They will learn about the changes in their batting unit. Parag was given the responsibility, they watched how he played. They had such a strong batting lineup. They could have gone for the kill much earlier,” he said. The Royals have so far played six matches this season and won four of them. These wins will keep them on the top of the points table with a net run rate of +1.043. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.