Parag returned to captain the side with the equation simple: if RR won their final game they would qualify for the playoffs, if they lost they would be knocked out. He had missed their previous game, against Lucknow Super Giants, because of a hamstring injury. Parag scored 14 off 8 at the Wankhede on Sunday, and was seen walking gingerly around the field as RR defended 205.
“Yeah, I’m definitely not fit… I was not supposed to play today, I’m not supposed to play another game [in this season],” he said after RR beat MI by 30 runs. When asked if he will play the Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 27, he said: “Yeah, of course.”
RR had lost three games in a row but wins in their last two games helped them qualify for the playoffs on the last day of the league stage. “We should have qualified way earlier,” Parag said, displaying little emotion at having qualified. “We left it a little too late, I think we left a lot on the table. And I feel we’re picking up the slack after losing three games in a row. Hopefully we learn from all our mistakes and we put up a better show.”
RR set MI a target of 206 at the Wankhede, and overcame a late surge by Suryakumar Yadav (60 off 42) and Hardik Pandya (34 off 15) to seal the 30-run win. RR made a few significant calls which worked out on the day, promoting Jofra Archer to No. 7, and then bringing him back for his final over in the 16th over to take out Pandya. “I’ve taken a lot of brave calls, actually, this season,” Parag said. “But that’s how I like to lead, that’s how I lead Assam as well. Of course, different level, different things as well, but I feel you’ve got to take your chances. It’s not a gamble, but of course you think about it a lot.”
Parag also praised 19-year-old Yash Raj Punja, who took 2 for 44, while Brijesh Sharma took 2 for 26, to derail MI’s chase. “I don’t usually praise them a lot, so they don’t get all bloated and stuff. After today, I think they deserve it. Brijesh, the way he’s come back, after getting a few games here and there, the way he’s gone for some runs in the last few overs – how he bowled today, how he’s been bowling…
“And Punja, I think [going] from a net bowler to his journey right now, being the lead spinner, I think, remarkable job. I hope they do it for another one game, and then, another two games.”
