At 34, Parthiv Patel Keen on Another Shot at India’s Wicket-keeper Spot

As MS Dhoni’s career enters its final few legs, the race to grab the the wicket-keeping spot in the Indian team seems to be heating up.
At present, Rishabh Pant seems to be ahead but a lot of questions are being raised, especially when it comes to his batting.

One man who has seen it all and was in fact the no.1 choice before Dhoni came was Parthiv Patel. After making his debut at the age of 18, Patel has gone onto play 25 Tests and 38 ODIs in the national colours.



“There is no reason to believe I am not in the scheme of things. I am just 34,” Parthiv told The Hindu.
“But these are external pressures I don’t want to take. I just want to go out and enjoy my game. If I keep scoring runs and the selectors and team management believe I can make a comeback, I know I am fit enough to be there.”

Looking back, Patel has no regrets about his career and said it was always going to be tough to replace someone like Dhoni.
“That’s how it is. When you are trying to represent India, you are fighting with 27 keepers and it is never easy.
“Obviously what MS has done for India is phenomenal and his achievements are there for everyone to see. As someone who is trying to take the place of the captain, it is always difficult. So you just don’t worry about these things.
“You just have to go hit those runs and take the catches and I stayed positive during those times and that’s why I was able to make a comeback.”
He will be leading Gujarat in the Vijay Hazare trophy and wants to make the most of his remaining playing career.
“I am at the stage of my career where I have played for 18-19 years so I am just going to go out and have fun. I also want to help youngsters as much as I can and try to put in a big performance every time I go out.”