Dreams Do Come True: Fanboy Riyan Parag Bats as Dhoni Keeps Stumps

The 17-year old Riyan Parag fulfilled his childhood dream of playing against his idol MS Dhoni.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/iammahmodul1/BCCI)

Riyan Parag was three when MS Dhoni made his international debut, a little older when he met his idol, and just 17 when he got to play against him!

The young top-order batsman who was part of India’s U-19 World Cup winning squad in 2018 shared the pitch with Dhoni when Rajasthan Royals hosted Chennai Super Kings on 11 April.

He posted two photos on his instagram account, first one of when he first met Dhoni as a child and second in which he is batting with MS keeping the wickets.

The picture of their ‘then and now’ have been doing rounds in social media.

The Assam based cricketer also got a taste of what it was like to face a classic MSD behind the wickets, as he was caught behind by the former Indian skipper off Shardul Thakur’s ball. And the cherry on top of the cake was when he got to bowl to his idol.

Riyan who hails from Guwahati is one of India’s exciting new cricketing talents. Another product engineered from the Rahul Dravid academy, Parag is a right-handed batsman and leg spinner.

Apart from the 2018 U-19 World Cup, Riyan had also featured in India’s U-19 Asia Cup squad and two tests for the U-19 squad in England, playing a crucial knock in one of the matches that India won in the tour.

Apart from being India’s second highest run scorer in tests in the youth circuit, the 17-year old also holds the record for the second fastest 50 in U-19 cricket.

Riyan’s parents are also both accomplished sportspersons. His father Parag Das is a former first-class cricketer while his mother Mithoo Barooah is a national record holder in swimming who has also represented India at Asian Championships and SAF Games.