IPL 2017: 5 reasons why Parthiv Patel should be dropped
The IPL juggernaut rolls on, entertaining us with fantastic performances from both young, uncapped players and celebrated international stars. Two weeks into the tournament, few sides have got the start they would have wanted while few are still fighting to gain some momentum.
However, Mumbai Indians (MI), generally slow starters, have had a great start to this year’s IPL. After 6 wins on trot, they sit pretty at the top on the points table. They have won from all situations and that should have doubled their confidence as we move into the business end of the competition.
The Mumbai-based franchise have everything going for them. The batting has clicked as a unit, the bowling has been exceptional and the intensity in the field has been right up there. But if there is anything that they need to be concerned about, it’s their wicket-keeper batsman, Parthiv Patel’s form.
In an otherwise perfect team, Parthiv’s form has been a let down. Apart from a quick-fire 37 against a weak Punjab bowling attack, the Gujarat batsman hasn’t made any noteworthy contributions. Mumbai would look to sort this issue out as Parthiv’s form seems to be the only chink in their armour.
Here in this article let us look at 5 main reasons why Parthiv Patel should be dropped.
#1 Jos Buttler could keep wickets in his absence
Parthiv Patel has kept wickets for MI regularly and has done a decent job. But as they have Jos Buttler, who is regular wicket-keeper for England in both ODIs and T20Is, dropping Parthiv wouldn’t affect them much. The athletic Buttler has 123 and 18 dismissals to his name in ODIs and T20Is respectively and is very reliable behind the stumps.
Buttler is clearly the better wicket-keeper among the two. But still Parthiv was handed wicket-keeping duties. Assumedly, because MI think tank feel Buttler could be handy in the outfield with his acrobatics.
However, the Englishman seems to have been accustomed to field with gloves. It showed when he went with hard hands only to drop a pretty straight forward catch of AB de Villiers when MI took RCB at the Chinnaswamy. Fortunately, the drop didn’t cost them much as De Villiers got out without adding much to the score. Surely, Buttler is a more helpful as a keeper.