We’ll groom Riyan for next season: RR’s Sanga

RR’s director of cricket, Kumar Sangakkara was clear about what needs to be rectified ahead of the next season

RR’s director of cricket, Kumar Sangakkara; (right) Riyan Parag

Despite earning the Orange and Purple caps for the highest run-getter (Jos Buttler, 863 runs) and wicket-taker (Yuzvendra Chahal, 27 wickets) of IPL-15 respectively, Rajasthan Royals fell well short in their pursuit for a second title.

Their seven-wicket defeat to Gujarat Titans in the final meant that GT registered a hat-trick of wins over them in IPL-15.

RR’s director of cricket, Kumar Sangakkara was clear about what needs to be rectified ahead of the next season. He said he would be keen to groom Riyan Parag as a specialist batsman and push R Ashwin to bowl more of his off-spinners.

Parag had an underwhelming season, scoring just 183 runs with a top score of 56 not out against RCB at Pune. “Riyan Parag has got a huge amount of potential. We have to work him into a higher batting number next season. I look forward to grooming him to become more of an early middle-order player rather than just a death-overs hitter because he is so accomplished against spin as well as pace,” said Sangakkara at the post-match virtual press conference. 
 
Ashwin probably did whatever RR asked him to do, and even excelled to a great extent, scoring 195 runs in 12 innings at a strike rate of 141.48 and claimed 12 wickets in 67 overs at an economy rate of 7.50. He even played the role of pinch-hitter well. However, in the final, he couldn’t deliver, managing just six coming down the order and going wicketless for 32 in his three overs. “Ash has done a great job for us, but even he, being a legend in what he has achieved on the pitch, there will be a lot of improvements and thinking to do, especially with his off-spinners and to bowl more of it,” said Sangakkara.