Patel is set to end his hiatus from Test cricket

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

After more than eight years, wicketkeeper-batsman Parthiv Patel is set to make his Test comeback as he was included in India’s team for the third Test against England in Mohali.

Patel, who was the youngest wicketkeeper to play Test cricket at the age of 17 in 2002, was called up after regular wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha strained his left thigh during the second Test in Visakhapatnam and was ruled out of the third Test in order to avoid aggravating the injury.

“As a precautionary measure, Saha has been advised rest and will not play in the next Test match of the series,” a Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) statement said.

It is understood that three other players – Rishabh Pant, Naman Ojha and Dinesh Karthik, were in contention, but Patel was preferred due to his experience, being a left-handed batsman and his better glovework.

“Parthiv was considered going by form and also the wicketkeeping aspect,” a BCCI official told ESPNcricinfo. “More importantly, being a left-hand bat – England have a leg-spinner and a left-arm spinner in Adil Rashid and Zafar Ansari. So, a left-hander will add more to the team.

“Naman had some injuries; he didn’t play in the first three-four matches of the Ranji Trophy this year. As far as keeping is concerned as well, Parthiv stands ahead of Dinesh Karthik. Overall, as a package, he fits the team’s requirements. There is no doubt that Parthiv’s glove work has improved considerably in the last few years. Not sure which position he will bat in; it is up to the team now.”

India squad for third Test: Virat Kohli (capt), Ajinkya Rahane, KL Rahul, M Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Karun Nair, Parthiv Patel (wk), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Amit Mishra, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Hardik Pandya.