Who gave Riyan Parag his debut India cap in 1st T20I against Zimbabwe?

In a dream-come-true moment, Riyan Parag and Abhishek Sharma made their international debuts during the India vs Zimbabwe T20I series opener. The T20 World Cup champions are currently touring the southern African nation for a five-match series, the first of which is currently (July 6) being held at the Harare Sports Club in Harare. 

Team India have picked a fresh squad featuring young players led by new skipper Shubman Gill. This series will be a great opportunity for youngsters to prove their mettle and cement their place in India's T20 squad. Notably, keeper-batter Dhruv Jurel, who has played three Test matches, is also making his debut in the shorter format of the game.

During the toss, when asked about the team, Shubman Gill revealed that India are fielding three debutants. Parag, who was rewarded for his remarkable performance in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season, looked elated during the pre-match team huddle.

Also Read: Zimbabwe Series: Was choosing Shubman Gill as captain the right call?

To add more to the Assam cricketer's joy, the middle-order batter received his debut India cap (no. 112 cap) from his father, who is also a former first-class cricketer from Assam. Parag Das and his son were seen sharing a warm hug on the proud occasion. Notably, Parag created history by becoming the first player from the North East to play for the country.

Watch the video of Riyan Parag receiving his debut India cap from his father:

A son's dream takes flight, and a father's heart swells with pride! Riyan Parag, you've made Assam proud!



And what makes it even more special is receiving his Cap from the person who inspired him the most - his father!#TeamIndia #ZIMvIND #RiyanParag pic.twitter.com/PedtOTn3Z7

— Assam Cricket Association (@assamcric) July 6, 2024

Parag’s redemption in IPL 2024 

Until the recent IPL season, Riyan Parag was heavily criticised by fans on social media for his below-par performances. The right-hander failed to shine for Rajasthan Royals (RR) despite getting numerous chances. However, IPL 2024 witnessed a 2.0 version of the 22-year-old, where he led the batting unit for RR with some impressive match-winning knocks.

Also Read: 5 players who can be the leading run-scorer in the upcoming T20 series ft. India's powerpack debutant

Batting in the middle-order, Parag scored 573 runs in 15 matches at an average of 52.09, including four half-centuries. He has been the most consistent and reliable batter for the Royals. He managed to turn haters into fans and that opened doors to the Indian team. 

With the likes of Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shivam Dube, who are currently with India's World Cup squad, unavailable for the first two matches, this is a great opportunity for Parag and the rest of the debutants to impress the management.