Riyan Parag hits out at commentators for off-field antics: Just talk about cricket

Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag urged TV commentators and cricket pundits to avoid personal attacks on players, saying criticism should continue to focus on cricket rather than off-field matters.

After Rajasthan Royals’ win over Lucknow Super Giants in Jaipur on Tuesday, Parag expressed his frustration at the way the players struggle with control, especially when the discussion veers away from performances and into personal space. The 24-year-old, who missed the game with a hamstring problem and remained an unused substitute, said the public often don’t understand the effort that goes into each game.

“As far as the IPL is concerned, there are a lot of things going on outside this year,” said Parag. “As players, we try to give our best whenever we can. After a bad performance, it’s easy to say that players can’t play or lack the mindset, but people don’t see three to four days of preparation behind every game.”

This comes after the RR captain was fined and reprimanded by the IPL Governing Council for using an an e-cigarette during an IPL game in the team dressing room.

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Parag said commentators, whose voices influence public perception, should be more responsible in how they discuss players.

“We are also human and we make mistakes too,” he said. “Cricket is the biggest sport in the country and should be treated with respect. We should only talk about cricket and nothing else.”

The Rajasthan Royals captain also said that he has learned to ignore criticism over time.

“What I’ve learned over the last four years is that no matter what I do, there’s always going to be talk,” he said. “But I also realized that it shouldn’t affect my game, my form or my mindset because keyboard warriors are outsiders.

Best shot by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

Despite his criticism of external noise, Parag was full of praise for the feel of the batting for teenagers Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, whose explosive 38-ball 93 propelled Rajasthan Royals to a remarkable chase of 221 and kept their playoff hopes alive.

Parag described the innings as the 15-year-old’s most impressive performance to date, particularly because of the composure he showed after a measured start. Rather than panic after scoring just five runs off his first 10 deliveries, Sooryavanshi trusted his method before launching a brutal counter-attack that dismantled the Lucknow bowling unit.

Lucknow Super Giants head coach Justin Langer also marveled at the teenagers’ intrepid stroke play, describing his batting as “breathtaking” after another outstanding display in the tournament.

Langer said that in his 35 years in cricket, there were few sights as remarkable as watching such a young player dominate world-class fast bowlers with such confidence. He pointed to the visible disbelief on the faces of elite pacers such as Mitchell Starc and Anrich Nortje in recent matches as evidence of how exceptional Sooryavanshi’s emergence has been, with the youngster quickly establishing himself as one of the breakout stars of IPL 2026.

– The end

Issued by:

Amar Panicker

Published on:

20 May 2026 12:59 IST