Assam captain Riyan Parag's purple patch continued on Sunday, as he smashed his second consecutive century of the Ranji Trophy 2023-24 season. Assam are facing Kerala in their second fixture at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati.
Scoring his third first-class hundred of the season, Riyan played a crucial role in stabilising Assam's innings. He entered the fray with the team struggling at 25/3 and went on to score a vital 116 runs. By the end of the day, Assam's score stood at 231/7. Demonstrating leadership at a crucial juncture, Parag's arrival at the crease turned the tide for Assam. He formed a 91-run partnership with Rishav Das, followed by another significant 52-run stand with Gokul Sharma. His aggressive batting included 16 fours and three sixes. The knock became even more special for the homeboy, as it came in front of his parents who were cheering him from the stands.
First one with mum and dad both watching🥺🧿 pic.twitter.com/4mnfaLUxNZ
— Riyan Paragg (@ParagRiyan) January 14, 2024
The Royals batter kick-started the tournament with a remarkable feat, scoring the second-fastest hundred in the history of the Ranji Trophy. His explosive 155 from 87 deliveries included reaching the century mark in just 56 balls, a record only surpassed by Rishabh Pant's 48-ball century. Riyan also finished as the leading run-scorer in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023.
In his first-class career, the 22-year-old has made notable contributions, playing in 23 matches and scoring 1,699 runs at an average of over 34, which includes 3 centuries and 10 fifties. He is also on the brink of his 50th wicket in first-class cricket. Parag has been a key player for Assam since his debut in 2017.
Earlier, Kerala had set a formidable score of 419 in their first innings, with notable contributions from several players, including a century from Sachin Baby. In response, Assam's innings was significantly bolstered by Parag's century, as they reached 231/7 at the close of Day 3, with no other batter crossing the half-century mark.
