Parthiv Patel is a fighter to the core: MSK Prasad

The Indian Test team is the No. 1 team in the world and the most notable aspect of successful and dominant teams is its bench strength. The availability of players who can on call walk in and perform as well as the regular member of the team. Something similar happened when Parthiv Patel was recalled in the Indian team for the last three Test matches of the England series after regular keeper Wriddhiman Saha injured himself.

Parthiv was good behind the wickets against the spinners and impressed the most with his aggressive knocks, what that did is opened the debate of whether the team should retain Saha once he is fit or opt to continue with the veteran wicketkeeper-batsman. But the chairman of selectors MSK Prasad has been pretty clear in stating that Saha remains the first choice keeper batsman of the team and will walk in once he is fit.

The Bengal wicketkeeper was picked in the Rest of India squad for the Irani Cup game to prove his fitness going ahead in the season and he responded with a match winning double century in the second innings to crown ROI the champs. “We had made it clear that someone who is coming back from injury, had to play in a domestic game and this was the best opportunity. Right now Saha and Parthiv are the best Nos 1 and 2 that we have. It was only to test fitness that we had Saha play here.” Prasad was quoted by PTI on CricketNext talking about Saha’s selection for ROI.

“Personally, I can say that Wriddiman Saha was out of the team because of injury and not because he was out of form. He was ‘Man of the Match’ in the Kolkata Test against New Zealand and got a hundred in West Indies,” said Prasad.

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After his India stint, Parthiv was at his best leading Gujarat to the Ranji Trophy title and scored a century in the big final. “I am happy how Parthiv has responded to the call-up. He is a fighter to the core. He single-handedly brought Gujarat from nowhere to being the Ranji Champions. He is in our scheme of things. There is just a minor difference between the two. When it comes to Test cricket, it is always the man who keeps better who gets the nod,” Prasad gave ample hint about what the selectors’ decision will be.

Prasad also praised the Gujarat skipper’s wicket keeping skills that has also improved over the years “Parthiv’s glovework has definitely improved. But Saha has got better hands and that’s where he scores little more points than Parthiv. With today’s batting, Saha showed why he is the number one keeper-batsman in the country. When he came out to bat yesterday the team was struggling at 63-4, and to take the game away from Gujarat, is phenomenal. So its a healthy competition between the two.”