Riyan Parag's aim coming to the Duleep Trophy was to get some game time under his belt after managing a shoulder injury through the better part of the season, and the Assam all-rounder was glad to achieve the same.

A shoulder injury that he sustained late last year has affected his batting and bowling even in the IPL 2025 season, and the Rajasthan Royals vice-captain did not play any cricket after the T20 league until his appearance in the Duleep Trophy quarterfinal for East Zone.

"The match felt good. I mean, that was the main goal when I came here to play the game. Performances, I didn't really focus on it that much. I just wanted to have some fun. I haven't played competitive cricket in a long time," Parag told reporters after the match, which North Zone won on the basis of first innings lead to enter the semifinals.

"Since the IPL, I haven't really played any cricket. IPL also, I was managing a lot of stress and stuff like that. But this was a good outing. Not in a good way with the amount of overs we fielded.

"But then still, rolled my arm for a few overs, batted for a while. I could have converted it for a bigger score, but I'm happy. The arm also feels much better," he added.

Parag scored 39 off 47 balls, and then bowled 22 overs for a wicket in North Zone's second innings.

Now, Riyan Parag will have to wait until mid-October for another round of cricket either through the Ranji Trophy or through India's white-ball tour of Australia, should he get picked.

"I think it's back to basics now. I took a break for the shoulder and stuff like that happened. Ranji is coming in, then the Australia tour is coming in (in October). If I get selected there, I do that.

"Otherwise, I will go back to domestic cricket and do what I've been doing for the last 2-3 years. Be top scoring every single game, and have a good IPL and play for the country again," said Parag.

Parag expressed his disappointment for failing to lead East Zone further deep into the Duleep Trophy.

"They played better cricket, I got to give credit to that, the way, I think the first things they were, 230 for 5 and the way Nishant's partnership with their wicket-keeper Kanhaiya and then Auqib, he did a handy hand as well.

"So, I feel we could have done better in the first innings while bowling but then we should have got at least close to 350 and then try to restrict them," said Parag.

The Assam cricketer acknowledged that once North Zone gained a heavy first innings lead, it was tough for his side to stage a comeback.

"Once we did not do that (bowling out North quickly in the first innings), they had the lead of around 200 runs and then their batters played really well and just took the game away from us," he remarked.

(With PTI Inputs)