Assam all-rounder Riyan Parag continued his impressive form in the domestic circuit as he hit yet another powerful hundred against Kerala in Guwahati on January 14. Assam is playing against Kerala in their Elite Group B encounter at the ACA Stadium, Barsapara in Guwahati.
On the third day of the four-day match, Riyan scored 116 in 125 balls with three 6s and 13 boundaries to help Assam post 231/7 in 62 overs in their first innings in reply to Kerala’s 419. Assam was still trailing by 188 runs. Though Assam batters failed to come up with a good show against Kerala bowlers, it was Riyan Parag who stole the show on the third day.
Assam had won the toss and put Kerala into bat but the visitors applied themselves well and managed to cross the 400 mark.
Coming back to Riyan, the Rajasthan Royals player also hit an entertaining hundred against Chhattisgarh in Raipur in their first Ranji Trophy match of the 2023-24 season. Riyan scored 155 off 87 deliveries, at a staggering strike rate of 178.16. His masterpiece included 11 boundaries and a dozen towering sixes that sent tremors through the Raipur pitch.
During that innings, Riyan became the second cricketer after Rishabh Pant to score the fastest hundred in Ranji Trophy history. Leading Assam as captain, Riyan reached the coveted ton mark in a mere 56 balls.
Last year, Assam reached the semifinal of the 2023-24 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), the domestic T20 competition, for the first time. The team was mostly dependent on Riyan Parag.
Riyan scored 510 runs in 10 matches to emerge as the highest run-getter. His average was 85 and the strike rate was 182.79. He hit 40 sixes and 31 fours. He also picked up 11 wickets in the tournament.
The phenomenal batting all-rounder smashed seven consecutive 50s and almost single-handedly took Assam to the semifinal. Against Bengal, he remained not out on 50 off 31 balls, scored a 33-ball 57 against Kerala, 61 off 34 balls against Bihar, an unbeaten 76 off 37 balls against Services, 53 not out in 29 balls against Sikkim, 76 in 39 balls against Chandigarh, and 72 off 37 against Himachal Pradesh.
In the process, Riyan overshadowed the likes of Virender Sehwag, Devon Conway, Hamilton Masakadza, Kamran Akmal, Jos Buttler, David Warner, and Wayne Madsen.
