Young Indian all-rounder Riyan Parag recently shared a deeply emotional moment from his personal life, introducing a new four-legged family member in a heartwarming Instagram post that quickly went viral. Describing the harrowing rescue of a critically injured stray, Parag wrote, “Born again on 21st July, and now, officially, my boy. In May 2025, Manavi got a midnight call about a critically injured dog. He was infested with maggots, insects had entered his nose, mouth, even his trachea and he was barely hanging on. Another week, and he wouldn’t have survived.”Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The cricketer praised animal activist Manavi Rai, calling her a “true animal warrior” for refusing to give up on the suffering animal.
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“She stepped in and became his lifeline. Today, Janam is slowly healing, he responds to his name, his eyes were saved, and he’s defying the odds every single day. It’ll take multiple surgeries, six more months of recovery, and constant care which is why I’ve adopted and fully sponsored his journey ahead,” Parag revealed. While his cricket schedule doesn’t allow him to bring the dog home, he promised that Janam will receive “all the love and attention he deserves.”On the professional front, Parag has also been making headlines. During an Instagram Q&A, he called Virat Kohli his biggest inspiration, saying, “The king who gave me my India cap.”
Parag made history in August 2024 by becoming the first male cricketer from Assam to represent India in ODIs, receiving his cap from Kohli in Colombo. In a BCCI video, Kohli encouraged him with powerful words: “You have that ability to be a match-winner for India… With an impactful presence on the field ball bat and fielding as well, I wish you all the best. Cap 256, Riyan Parag.”Though his ODI debut yielded just 15 runs, Parag’s aggressive T20I performances, 106 runs at a strike rate of 151.4 in nine matches, mark him as one of India’s rising stars.
