India vs South Africa: Fighter Parthiv Patel will look to push Wriddhiman Saha to the hilt for spot in playing XI
Parthiv Patel might have been selected as a cover for Saha, but the latter would be aware that his place isn't for granted with pocket-sized Parthiv promising to pack a punch.
Despite being present in the cricketing circles for more than a decade and a half. Despite leading his state team, Gujarat, to their maiden Ranji Trophy title. Despite top-scoring for Mumbai Indians in the latest Indian Premier League (IPL) edition, where they became the first team to be crowned champions for the third time. Mention Parthiv Patel and the first sight that comes to mind of many is of a 17-year-old baby faced cricketer – who appeared to be 14 according to opposition England captain Nasser Hussain – making his Test debut for India in the second Test against England in Trent Bridge in 2002.
There's also that innings young Parthiv played in that particular match.
After getting out for a naught in the first innings, Parthiv stayed put at the crease for 84 minutes and scored a gritty 19 against the likes of Matthew Hoggard, Dominic Cork, Stephen Harmison and Andrew Flintoff.
The anomaly of Parthiv’s career is: he was pitchforked into Test cricket, when he was just about old enough to shave, to go on spending his best cricketing days on the fringes. Scored heavily in the domestic circuit but was still far from national reckoning. A lot of it, almost all, is to do with Mahendra Singh Dhoni bursting onto the scene in 2005 and making the spot behind the stumps his own.
It has been over three years since MS Dhoni hanged his boots in the longest format, the only way the wicket-keeper’s position could have been made vacant. Besides Parthiv, contemporaries Wriddhiman Saha and Dinesh Karthik all were close to their 30s when Dhoni called quits. Saha, the man with the best glovework amongst the three, was rightfully chosen as Dhoni’s successor.
After having a regular run from 2002 to 2004, Parthiv had represented India in a solitary Test against Sri Lanka in 2008 and it took eight more years for another opportunity.
It was not until an untimely injury to Saha in 2016 that opened the door for a dramatic return to the Test fold for Parthiv, one that the pint-sized southpaw grabbed with both hands.
The wicket-keeper batsman was asked to open the innings in place of KL Rahul against England at Mohali. Parthiv batted fluently for his 42 in the first innings and saw India to victory in the third Test with an unbeaten 67. With Rahul returning for the last two Tests of the series, Parthiv was shifted in the middle-order. He missed out in Mumbai after departing for 15 but he slammed a career-best 71 in the final Test in Chennai.
Parthiv returned for Gujarat to play the Ranji Trophy as he went on to slam a century in the 2016-17 finals against Mumbai to help his side win the prestigious tournament for the first time.
One of Parthiv's constant criticism was his shoddy wicket-keeping skills. Parthiv’s glovework wasn’t considered up to the quality in his initial years. Having spent hours in training and ensuring he gave the specialised task its due, he allocated separate practice session for keeping and batting.
Parthiv didn't do too wrong behind the stumps in Saha’s absence but had to vacate the spot once the Bengal keeper returned fit.
Chairman of selector, MSK-Prasad was impressed with Parthiv’s keeping skills and said that he was in the ‘scheme of things’ for India, though Saha remained their first choice.
"Parthiv's glovework has definitely improved. But Saha has got better hands and that's where he scores little more points than Parthiv,” said Prasad, who was a former wicket-keeper himself.
With the current Indian side blessed with ‘too many’ in multiple departments, the two spots for wicket-keepers is no different, with Parthiv to play Saha’s understudy. The case with long tours, including the Test series in England and Australia to be played later in 2018, it gives Parthiv more than enough hope to break into the side. Parthiv’s ability to bat in the lower-middle order as well as at the top of the innings works in his favour.
The Gujarat skipper had a decent run in Ranji Trophy this season, scoring over 360 runs in nine innings at a healthy average of over 45. For someone like Parthiv, who relies heavily on the strokes like the cut and the pull, the extra zip in South Africa could well suit him, provided he gets a chance to play.
Just like his defiant innings in Nottingham in his debut Test, Parthiv continues to fight against the odds to give himself another opportunity. Back in the day Trent Bridge, teenager Parthiv could have easily thrown his wicket in the second innings and no fingers would have been raised against him. Instead, he chose to fight and his knock helped India save the Test.
He could have so easily slid into oblivion having spent most of his career knowing MS Dhoni's indispensability, but he never gave up.
He might have got a rather 'easy' break in his career by receiving a Test cap with very little experience under his belt, but when going got tough, he ensured to put in the hard yards in the domestic arena. He refurbished his game, kept working on his skills and was ever-ready to clinch whatever opportunity he was presented with. Even though he's a backup, Parthiv deserves a seat on the plane to South Africa.
From being Test cricket's youngest wicket-keeper (without any Ranji Trophy experience) to playing close to 200 first class games and leading Gujarat over a decade with more than 10,000 first-class runs to his name is no mean achievement. The 32-year old might have been selected as a cover for Saha but the latter would be aware his place isn't for granted, with Parthiv promising to pack a punch and ready to latch onto an opportunity that comes his way.
Click here to read profiles of other Indian players involved in the Test series against South Africa
Click here for the full schedule of India's tour to South Africa, when and where to watch the matches, live coverage on TV, online streaming
Published Date: Dec 31, 2017
| Updated Date: Dec 31, 2017
Despite being present in the cricketing circles for more than a decade and a half. Despite leading his state team, Gujarat, to their maiden Ranji Trophy title. Despite top-scoring for Mumbai Indians in the latest Indian Premier League (IPL) edition, where they became the first team to be crowned champions for the third time. Mention Parthiv Patel and the first sight that comes to mind of many is of a 17-year-old baby faced cricketer – who appeared to be 14 according to opposition England captain Nasser Hussain – making his Test debut for India in the second Test against England in Trent Bridge in 2002.
There's also that innings young Parthiv played in that particular match.
After getting out for a naught in the first innings, Parthiv stayed put at the crease for 84 minutes and scored a gritty 19 against the likes of Matthew Hoggard, Dominic Cork, Stephen Harmison and Andrew Flintoff.
The anomaly of Parthiv’s career is: he was pitchforked into Test cricket, when he was just about old enough to shave, to go on spending his best cricketing days on the fringes. Scored heavily in the domestic circuit but was still far from national reckoning. A lot of it, almost all, is to do with Mahendra Singh Dhoni bursting onto the scene in 2005 and making the spot behind the stumps his own.
It has been over three years since MS Dhoni hanged his boots in the longest format, the only way the wicket-keeper’s position could have been made vacant. Besides Parthiv, contemporaries Wriddhiman Saha and Dinesh Karthik all were close to their 30s when Dhoni called quits. Saha, the man with the best glovework amongst the three, was rightfully chosen as Dhoni’s successor.
After having a regular run from 2002 to 2004, Parthiv had represented India in a solitary Test against Sri Lanka in 2008 and it took eight more years for another opportunity.
It was not until an untimely injury to Saha in 2016 that opened the door for a dramatic return to the Test fold for Parthiv, one that the pint-sized southpaw grabbed with both hands.
The wicket-keeper batsman was asked to open the innings in place of KL Rahul against England at Mohali. Parthiv batted fluently for his 42 in the first innings and saw India to victory in the third Test with an unbeaten 67. With Rahul returning for the last two Tests of the series, Parthiv was shifted in the middle-order. He missed out in Mumbai after departing for 15 but he slammed a career-best 71 in the final Test in Chennai.
Parthiv returned for Gujarat to play the Ranji Trophy as he went on to slam a century in the 2016-17 finals against Mumbai to help his side win the prestigious tournament for the first time.
One of Parthiv's constant criticism was his shoddy wicket-keeping skills. Parthiv’s glovework wasn’t considered up to the quality in his initial years. Having spent hours in training and ensuring he gave the specialised task its due, he allocated separate practice session for keeping and batting.
Parthiv didn't do too wrong behind the stumps in Saha’s absence but had to vacate the spot once the Bengal keeper returned fit.
Chairman of selector, MSK-Prasad was impressed with Parthiv’s keeping skills and said that he was in the ‘scheme of things’ for India, though Saha remained their first choice.
"Parthiv's glovework has definitely improved. But Saha has got better hands and that's where he scores little more points than Parthiv,” said Prasad, who was a former wicket-keeper himself.
With the current Indian side blessed with ‘too many’ in multiple departments, the two spots for wicket-keepers is no different, with Parthiv to play Saha’s understudy. The case with long tours, including the Test series in England and Australia to be played later in 2018, it gives Parthiv more than enough hope to break into the side. Parthiv’s ability to bat in the lower-middle order as well as at the top of the innings works in his favour.
The Gujarat skipper had a decent run in Ranji Trophy this season, scoring over 360 runs in nine innings at a healthy average of over 45. For someone like Parthiv, who relies heavily on the strokes like the cut and the pull, the extra zip in South Africa could well suit him, provided he gets a chance to play.
Just like his defiant innings in Nottingham in his debut Test, Parthiv continues to fight against the odds to give himself another opportunity. Back in the day Trent Bridge, teenager Parthiv could have easily thrown his wicket in the second innings and no fingers would have been raised against him. Instead, he chose to fight and his knock helped India save the Test.
He could have so easily slid into oblivion having spent most of his career knowing MS Dhoni's indispensability, but he never gave up.
He might have got a rather 'easy' break in his career by receiving a Test cap with very little experience under his belt, but when going got tough, he ensured to put in the hard yards in the domestic arena. He refurbished his game, kept working on his skills and was ever-ready to clinch whatever opportunity he was presented with. Even though he's a backup, Parthiv deserves a seat on the plane to South Africa.
From being Test cricket's youngest wicket-keeper (without any Ranji Trophy experience) to playing close to 200 first class games and leading Gujarat over a decade with more than 10,000 first-class runs to his name is no mean achievement. The 32-year old might have been selected as a cover for Saha but the latter would be aware his place isn't for granted, with Parthiv promising to pack a punch and ready to latch onto an opportunity that comes his way.
Click here to read profiles of other Indian players involved in the Test series against South Africa
Click here for the full schedule of India's tour to South Africa, when and where to watch the matches, live coverage on TV, online streaming
Published Date:Dec 31, 2017
| Updated Date: Dec 31, 2017
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