India batter Riyan Parag has been declared fit to return to action in the seventh round of the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season, which will start on January 30.
Parag, 23, will lead Assam in their final Ranji Trophy league fixture against hosts Saurashtra in Rajkot.
Parag has been sidelined since October 2024 after sustaining the injury during India’s third T20I against Bangladesh, which required him to undergo surgery.
He missed the South Africa T20Is in November due to the injury.
Additionally, the injury ruled him out of the Champions Trophy squad, further delaying his comeback on the international stage.
Parag will now be leading the Assam squad in the seventh-round game of the Ranji Trophy against Saurashtra, starting January 30.
However, the Ranji Trophy presents Parag with an opportunity to regain form and fitness while providing Assam with a vital boost in their domestic campaign.
With Parag being able to take crucial wickets in the few ODIs and T20Is he featured in, he was slowly becoming an important member of the white-ball outfit.
India’s cricketing landscape has witnessed a renewed focus on domestic formats, with stars like Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, and Yashasvi Jaiswal making appearances in Ranji Trophy matches.
This shift underscores the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) emphasis on domestic performances as a benchmark for international selection.
His breakout season in the Ranji Trophy, where he scored 378 runs in six innings at an astounding average of 75.60 and a strike rate of 113.85, played a pivotal role in earning him a spot in the Indian team during their Zimbabwe series.
ALSO READ: National Green Tribunal seeks Centre’s response on decline in Assam’s forest cover
The Assam squad for the Saurashtra clash includes Riyan Parag (captain), Denish Das (vice-captain), Mukhtar Hussain, Mrinmoy Dutta, Rahul Singh, Dipjyoti Saikia, Parvez Musaraf, Sumit Ghadigaonkar (wk), Rishav Das, Anurag Talukdar (wk), Avinav Choudhury, Sibsankar Roy, Akash Sengupta, Pradyun Saikia, and Amlanjyoti Das.
