Riyan Parag with groundstaff. | (Image Credits: X)
Rajasthan Royals’ stand-in captain Riyan Parag drew backlash as he tossed the phone ‘disrespectfully’ to the ground staff in Guwahati after clicking pictures with them. With the moment occurring on the pitch after the narrow win against the Chennai Super Kings, netizens questioned the all-rounder’s attitude towards the ground staff.
With Parag drawing massive crowds due to playing on his home turf, the ground staff were inevitably keen to click pictures after him. However, the 23-year-old spontaneously tossed the phone to one of them after capturing the photo, with the grounstaff just managing to hold on to it.
Watch the video below:
Below are some of the fan reactions to Riyan Parag’s gesture:
“We have had two tough games, but the chat was to forget those games” – Riyan Parag
At the post-match presentation, 23-year-old Riyan Parag, who chipped in with 37 runs and a spectacular catch, addressed their first win of the season by claiming that the bowlers deserve significant credit for the six-run victory. The youngster stated:
“Took a lot of time, just two games, but felt really long. We still think we were 20 short. We lost a couple of wickets quickly (in the middle overs). But we bowled really well. We have had two tough games, but the chat was to forget those games, come with a fresh mindset and have a good game collectively.”
The Royals will next face the Punjab Kings on April 5 and Sanju Samson is expected to return as skipper.
