Former Indian fast bowler S. Sreesanth slammed young batsman Riyan Parag's comments after India's victory in the ICC T20 World Cup final on Saturday, June 29. Parag, who was not selected for the World Cup squad, had said earlier that he had no interest in the tournament and wouldn't be watching the matches.
Parag's pre-tournament remarks
Parag, a standout performer for the Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2024 with 573 runs in 16 games (third-highest scorer), expressed his disinterest in the World Cup following the IPL season. When asked by the Bharat Army fan group to predict the top four teams, Parag stated, “It will be a biased answer (prediction on the top four teams), but to be very honest, I don't even want to watch the World Cup. I'll just see who wins it at the end, and I'll be happy. When I play in the World Cup, I will think about the top four and all of that.” These comments drew criticism from fans and cricketer's as well.
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Sreesanth's on-air comments
Sreesanth, a two-time World Cup winner, lambasted Parag for what he termed as irresponsible and unprofessional behavior. He stressed the importance of patriotism and wholehearted support for the national team, regardless of personal disappointments. Sreesanth emphasized that young cricketers should prioritize their love for the country and the game over individual aspirations, urging them to respect and endorse the decisions made by the selectors.
During the T20 World Cup final broadcast, Sreesanth said, "Some youngsters have also said that they will not watch the World Cup because they have not been selected. I would say that, first you should be patriotic, and then yes, you should be a cricket lover. But those who have selected the team, they should be supported with all their heart, mind, and passion.
