'The King': Parag hails Kohli as his inspiration; all-rounder reveals why

Young Indian all-rounder Riyan Parag has hailed Virat Kohli as his cricketing inspiration, referring to him as “The king who gave me my India cap.” The 23-year-old made the heartfelt statement during an Instagram Q&A, where he was asked who inspired him the most in his career.Parag, who made history in August 2024 by becoming the first male cricketer from Assam to debut for India in ODIs, received his cap from none other than Kohli before the second ODI against Sri Lanka in Colombo. That moment, as Parag revealed, was more than ceremonial — it was symbolic of everything he aspired to as a cricketer.

In a video shared by the BCCI, Kohli delivered a powerful message while presenting cap No. 256 to Parag: “Riyan, firstly congratulations for getting to play your first game for India. In today’s cricket, we all know apart from performances, people who are responsible for you guys getting selected were watching you and they’ve seen something special in you. And having spoken to GG Bhai, selectors, Rohit and everyone, they see something special in you”Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Kohli’s message continued with encouragement: "You have that ability to be a match-winner for India. I know you have that belief, I’ve known you for a while now and we all have that belief in you. No better time to step in today, 0-1 down, to start off your international career. With an impactful presence on the field ball bat and fielding as well, I wish you all the best. Cap 256, Riyan Parag."

Parag’s ODI debut may have yielded just 15 runs, but his rise has been promising. In nine T20Is so far, he has scored 106 runs at a strike rate of 151.4, showing glimpses of the aggressive game that made him a standout in the IPL.As he continues to grow on the international stage, Parag’s admiration for Kohli is clear — a nod to the man who welcomed him into the India fold and left a lasting mark on his journey.