Jaipur, March 19 -- The newly appointed captain of Rajasthan Royals, Riyan Parag, expressed pride and gratitude at the franchise's pre-season press conference on Thursday.

Reflecting on his journey with the franchise, Parag said, "I was here when I was 17. It means a lot that I'm here in this position right now. The journey had a lot of ups and downs, maybe more downs than ups, but I'm proud I came through it. I'm really thankful to Rajasthan for backing me, understanding the cricketer I was, and giving me opportunities. To now be in a position to lead the side feels surreal. From 2018 to now, it's been a journey I'm extremely proud of."

The 24-year-old all-rounder, who has spent most of his cricketing career with the Royals, emphasised...