Young Indian all-rounder Riyan Parag has hailed Virat Kohli as his cricketing inspiration, referring to him as “The king who gave me my India cap.” The 23-year-old made the heartfelt assertion throughout an Instagram Q&A, the place he was requested who impressed him essentially the most in his profession.Parag, who made historical past in August 2024 by changing into the primary male cricketer from Assam to debut for India in ODIs, acquired his cap from none aside from Kohli earlier than the second ODI in opposition to Sri Lanka in Colombo. That second, as Parag revealed, was greater than ceremonial — it was symbolic of every thing he aspired to as a cricketer.In a video shared by the BCCI, Kohli delivered a robust message whereas presenting cap No. 256 to Parag: “Riyan, firstly congratulations for getting to play your first game for India. In today’s cricket, we all know apart from performances, people who are responsible for you guys getting selected were watching you and they’ve seen something special in you. And having spoken to GG Bhai, selectors, Rohit and everyone, they see something special in you”Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Kohli’s message continued with encouragement: “You have that ability to be a match-winner for India. I know you have that belief, I’ve known you for a while now and we all have that belief in you. No better time to step in today, 0-1 down, to start off your international career. With an impactful presence on the field ball bat and fielding as well, I wish you all the best. Cap 256, Riyan Parag.”
Parag’s ODI debut could have yielded simply 15 runs, however his rise has been promising. In 9 T20Is thus far, he has scored 106 runs at a strike charge of 151.4, displaying glimpses of the aggressive sport that made him a standout within the IPL.As he continues to develop on the worldwide stage, Parag’s admiration for Kohli is obvious — a nod to the person who welcomed him into the India fold and left an enduring mark on his journey.
