(BCCI/Instagram)
Riyan Parag, an Indian cricketer and former Rajasthan Royals team member, shared a poignant story about his time playing alongside Ben Stokes, the England Test captain. Parag revealed that he learned a valuable lesson from Stokes about the importance of mental toughness and adaptability in the face of adversity. On an episode of The Ranveer Show Podcast, Parag recounted a memorable match where Stokes faced a difficult spell, only to be subjected to jeers and abuse from the crowd after being dismissed.
Riyan Parag credits Ben Stokes with teaching him the most valuable takeaway from his experience with criticism, which is embodied in Stokes’ way of handling negative feedback.
As the team bus rolled away from the stadium, Parag sought out Stokes, seeking to offer words of comfort and understanding. In a heart-to-heart moment, Stokes, still visibly shaken by the match, opened up about his coping mechanism. He revealed that he drew strength from a group of four individuals who always had his back – his wife, mother, father, and close friend – and shared the supportive texts they had sent him. Stokes made it clear that these four people were the only opinions that truly mattered to him, regardless of his on-field performance. Parag was deeply moved by Stokes’ vulnerability and realized the importance of having a strong support system. He was reminded of his own loved ones, who stood by him regardless of his performance, and this newfound perspective allowed him to approach the game with a sense of freedom and authenticity.
Ben Stokes’ remarkable resilience strategy revealed by Riyan Parag, a tale of emotional fortitude.
Riyan Parag said on The Ranveer Show Podcast: “Stokesy (Ben Stokes) got hammered one game, and people are booing him, people are abusing him. So, I went to him, I sat next to him in the team bus, I’m like, how are you feeling? How are you dealing with this? He opened his WhatsApp, he showed me texts from his wife, from his mother, from his dad, and from one of his close friends. He said, four texts after the game, and that’s all I want.
He said, these four people are the ones who can have opinions about me, and regardless of how I play, they’re going to tell me they love me. And I was like, okay, that’s nice. Because once you have that assurity of those people being there for you regardless of anything, you just go out there and express yourself. You don’t have expectations of what other people are going to say. So then after the game, regardless if I score a zero, regardless if I score a hundred, I have those people. And I think that was the biggest lesson for me.”
Notably, Parag’s performance in the IPL 2024 was marked by a sense of unbridled liberty and self-assurance. He concluded the season as the third-most prolific run-scorer, behind only Virat Kohli (741) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (583). Throughout the season, he accumulated 573 runs at a remarkable average of 52, accompanied by a striking rate of 149. His impressive display for the Royals was a testament to his skill and prowess.
