2 min readUpdated: May 25, 2026 12:07 PM IST
Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag faced harsh criticism from former India batter Manoj Tiwary for his comments on his and his teammates’ fitness after the crucial win over the Mumbai Indians on Sunday.
After RR held fort at the Wankhede Stadium during a victory that sealed their qualification for the Play-offs, Parag was asked about fitness issues in the camp that have seen him and senior all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja being in and out of the XI in recent matches.
Parag claimed that he was not fit to take the field against MI and endured the rigours of a hot day on the field due to his mental fortitude.
‘All mental toughness’
“I am definitely not fit, I was not supposed to play tonight and not play another game as well, but it was all mental toughness. Jofra [Archer] is hard as a rock, Jaddu bhai has got a couple of niggles but he has got the sword and he should be fine,” Parag said during the post-match presentation.
Tiwary, however, slammed Parag’s statements and questioned why the captain was required to make unclear statements. Last week in Delhi, Parag said that Jadeja was dropped from the XI due to workload management issues. However, batting coach Vikram Rathour would later reveal that the veteran India all-rounder was out of the side due to injury concerns.
“I could not understand what he was trying to say through that statement. Saying that he was injured, and he played through mental toughness, and even before this, he said that Ravindra Jadeja is being rested due to workload management, then the fielding coach is saying something else, so there are a lot of things here,” Tiwary said on Cricbuzz.
“He can be happy that he has taken the team to the playoffs as a captain. So, enjoy, but while enjoying it, do not make such statements that no one understands,” added Tiwary.
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Parag’s side will now face Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator match on Wednesday in Mullanpur.
