5 reasons why Parthiv Patel should not have been dropped from the Test team

The Indian squad to face Bangladesh in the one-off Test match at Hyderabad on 9^th February was announced today by the selection committee, masterminded by MSK Prasad. Tamil Nadu opener Abhinav Mukund was recalled to the team after six years as a backup opener to Murali Vijay and KL Rahul. Wriddhiman Saha and Ajinkya Rahane, both of whom missed a good fraction of the England series due to injury, returned back to the squad.

Parthiv Patel who produced a couple of decent performances with the bat in the two Tests against England that he played, was dropped from the Test team in favour of Saha. The Gujarat skipper had replaced the Bengal gloveman during the England series after the latter suffered a thigh injury during the second Test against England at Vizag.

In four innings, Patel scored 195 runs at an average of 65, getting two half-centuries and despite Saha making a remarkable comeback from his injury by scoring a blistering 203 during the Irani Cup, Patel should have been given an opportunity in the Bangladesh series; not only as a keeper, but also as a batsman.

Here are five reasons why Parthiv Patel should not have been dropped from the Test team.

---

#1 Experience

Parthiv Patel would have been the senior-most member in the team had he been selected

While Wriddhiman Saha is older than Parthiv Patel, the latter has much more experience in Test cricket. As a matter of fact, during the England series, Patel was the senior most member in the Team, having made his Test debut back in 2002 against England at Nottingham.

Having performed in a subdued manner during his first year in Test cricket, Patel found his groove during the Tests series in Australia and Pakistan during the start of 2004 as he garnered four half-centuries in both series combined and gradually established himself as a regular in the Test squad before MS Dhoni’s emergence cut short his career.

Nevertheless, Patel has played in various conditions and that would have given the Indian team a very serious advantage. Not to forget his impressive First-Class career in which he has close to 10000 runs, having scored 56 fifties and 25 centuries.

#2 Impressive domestic season

Parthiv Patel led Gujarat to their maiden Ranji Trophy triumph and played two match-winning innings in the final

One of the main reasons why Parthiv Patel received a call-up to the Test team ahead of Rishabh Pant was his brilliant performances for Gujarat during the Ranji Trophy. Patel already boasts of an impressive first-class resume, having scored 9995 runs at an average of 44.42, hitting 56 half centuries and 25 centuries.

Gujarat won their maiden Ranji Trophy title this season under the leadership of Patel and he played a very significant role in their win. In 14 innings, Patel scored 763 runs at an average of 58.69 and a strike rate of 63.16, hitting five fifties and two hundreds.

Patel’s biggest contribution for Gujarat in the tournament came when needed the most, in the final as he scored 90 and 143 in the first and second innings respectively as Gujarat beat Mumbai by five wickets. He was eventually awarded the Man of the Match for his performances and his 143 was the highest individual in a successful run chase in a Ranji Trophy final.

Hence, looking at Patel’s recent form with the bat in the domestic circuit, the selectors may have missed a trick or two by dropping him.

#3 A third option for an opening batsman

Parthiv Patel would have been a brilliant choice for the third opener

There is no wonder that Abhinav Mukund has had a terrific Ranji Trophy with Tamil Nadu, having led his team to the semis and having scored 854 runs at an impressive average of 65.30 for which he has been rewarded with his call-up to the Test team. However, having seen Parthiv Patel’s performances as an opener in both First-Class and Test cricket, there is every reason why Patel should have been considered as a choice for a third opener.

Patel’s primary role is that of a wicket-keeper batsman but he has done exceptionally well opening the innings as well. In fact, most of his Test half-centuries has come when he has opened the batting. Even during the England series, Patel opened the batting in all of his four innings and ended up getting scores of 42, 15, 67, and 71.

Mukund has also played all of his five Test matches as an opener but he has scored only 211 runs at a meagre average of 21.10 with only one half-century to his name. Hence, Patel would have been a much better option for a third opener and there’s no denying that he would have done really well in case either of Murali Vijay or KL Rahul sustained any injury prior to the Test.

#4 Prolific run scoring rate

Parthiv Patel has been able to rack up runs at a consistent rate

One of the biggest gains from Parthiv Patel’s inclusion in the Test team would have been his ability to get runs at a decent rate. On his comeback to the Test team, Parthiv Patel played four innings and had scores of 40+ in three of them.

Even in the last seven innings that he played before he was dropped from the Test team, Patel scored half-centuries in five of them. No matter in whichever position he is sent in to bat, the chances of him delivering with the bat will always be high and this attribute of his would have been something India might have desperately in case remaining batsmen would have faltered.

#5 Continuity in selection

Parthiv Patel has received very limited chances to cement his place in the national team

After being recalled to the Test team for the first time since 2008, Patel did fairly well to justify his selection in the Test team by scoring two half-centuries during the series. Yet, it seems that the selectors have overlooked his performances as he has not been given a well-deserved chance to play for the Test team.

Even during the 2003-04 season when he was looking to have found his groove in Test cricket, the selectors dropped a bombshell on him by dropping from the Test team. There is no doubt that the chances given to Patel to prove his worth in the team has been very limited and had he been given another chance, he could have shined brightly.