5 reasons why Parthiv Patel can replace Wriddhiman Saha in the long run
While injuries have become commonplace in the Indian cricket team setup these days, with the likes of KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Bhuvneshwar Kumar picking up injuries, the news of Saha picking up a thigh strain in the second Test at Vizag caused concern in the Indian setup.
Though there are a number of credible wicketkeeping options in India, Saha has displayed incredible consistency since he made his way into the side after MS Dhoni’s retirement.
He did everything in his power to retain the place, even earning the praise of captain Virat Kohli. However, fate intervened and opened the door for one of India’s forgotten sons, Parthiv Patel to make an astonishing comeback into the Indian team.
While the news of his return sparked a frenzy in cricketing circles, his performance in the first Test justified his selection as he played a key role in India’s handsome win.
Here are 5 reasons why Parthiv Patel should replace Saha in the long run –
1) Experience
There is no doubting Parthiv Patel’s experience in the world of cricket. He debuted before MS Dhoni, when Kohli was playing U-14 cricket for Delhi and when Anil Kumble was at his prime for India. While he lost his place in the Indian team 8 years ago, he remained consistent in first-class cricket.
His numbers paint a case for his inclusion in the side as he nears 10,000 runs in first-class cricket, a remarkable achievement. What’s even more commendable is the fact that he worked on his game. He admitted the same in the post-match interview after the third Test, where he stressed that he worked on adding the drive to his repertoire to not rely on only the cut and pull shots to score runs.
India are enjoying a great run as the number one ranked Test team, but there are greater challenges ahead, on green surfaces abroad, and Parthiv’s experience of playing around the world can be a boost to the team.