Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan believes Riyan Parag will get more chances due to his bowling ability. Pathan reckons Parag will have an advantage over other batters, who are one-dimensional and can’t roll their arm over.

Parag has been given the ball by newly appointed skipper Suryakumar Yadav in the ongoing T20I series against Sri Lanka. The off-spinner returned with figures of 0-30 in the four overs he bowled and got a lot of turn from the surface at Pallekele in the second T20I against the hosts.

Furthermore, Parag had returned with impressive figures of 3-5 in the 1.2 overs he bowled in the opening game. The off-spinner accounted for Kamindu Mendis, Maheesh Theekshana, and Dilshan Madhushanka. Interestingly, Parag had all three batters bowled.

“You will see Riyan Parag getting many chances due to his bowling ability. As a top-order batsman, not many in the country have the ability to roll their arm over. This is where Riyan Parag will get an extra advantage, and rightly so,” Pathan posted on X.

Parag, who had an impressive run in IPL 2024 for Rajasthan Royals, revealed he prepared his bowling with newly appointed head coach Gautam Gambhir.

“I love bowling. I bowl as much as I can behind the scenes. At the nets, there was a lot of communication regarding where to bowl and how to bowl. There were preparations for such situations with Gautam sir. If I get bowling in the 16th and the 17th over and the wicket is spinning, then where I have to bowl. The boys made it easier for me, I just had to bowl stump to stump, and the ball was turning as well,” Parag had said in the video shared by BCCI after the first T20I.

The third T20I between the two sides will be played at Pallekele on Tuesday.