After MS Dhoni’s rise at the international stage, dreams of several wicketkeepers ended, and Parthiv Patel was also one of the victims. At the age of 17, Parthiv made the debut in the Test series against England, becoming the youngest wicket-keeper to represent India in the most extended format. But he never thought that opportunities would fell short for him with the arrival of Dhoni in Team India.
However, Parthiv Patel never gave up. He accepted the fact that former Indian captain is the first-choice wicketkeeper and he had to fight for the second slot. The Gujarat player decided to give his best at every stage be it club cricket or domestic cricket. He thought to enjoy the game and not compare himself with anyone else, which is why he is still fit and playing.
I decided to play with intensity: Parthiv Patel
“You had to accept the fact and accept the present situation; there was no running away from it. At that point of time, the situation was that Dhoni was the captain and everyone else was battling for the second wicket-keeper’s slot. I had accepted it. After getting dropped I decided to set myself a certain standard, set myself a certain amount of intensity with which I would play my cricket,” Parthiv Patel told rediff.com
“Be it club cricket, be it Ranji Trophy, be it district cricket, be it the IPL or whatever level it is, I was going to play with a certain amount of intensity. I was going to enjoy it, the level didn’t matter to me. For me, it was about playing cricket. That is the reason for my longevity, the reason why I could keep myself fit.
“I was fighting with myself, always thinking of improving my game, getting better personally, not comparing myself with anyone else,” he added.
Parthiv Patel last played for India in the 2018 Test series against South Africa. He was also the part of India’s squad who won the first-ever Test series against Australia at their home. However, he didn’t get a chance to bat. He has represented India in 25 Tests, 38 ODIs and 2 T20Is, scoring 934, 736 and 36 runs respectively.
The 35-year-old has enjoyed much success for Gujrat as the captain. He was the first to lead his state to triumphs in all three major domestic tournaments — Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.