Don't see myself as unlucky, MS Dhoni came in because I didn't grab my chances: Parthiv Patel

Former India wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel has stated he doesn’t consider himself unlucky to have played in the same era as the legendary MS Dhoni. According to Parthiv, he got an opportunity to play for India before Dhoni but failed to grab his chances.

Parthiv Patel made his Test debut in 2002 in England at the age of 17. However, he ended up playing only 25 Tests, 38 ODIs and two T20Is for India. Once Dhoni became India’s permanent wicketkeeper across formats, Parthiv rarely got a look-in.

Speaking on The Curtly Karishma Show, the former keeper-batsman admitted that he was dropped because he failed to capitalize on his opportunities.

“Honestly speaking, I don’t look at it that way (whether he was unlucky). I had the first crack at the Indian team, before Dhoni," Parthiv said. "I was dropped because my performances were not up to the mark in international cricket.

"Then MS Dhoni came in. I can’t say that I was unlucky because I did not get to play more. I had already played 19 Test matches before getting dropped. I also cannot say that I did not get enough opportunities. 19 Test matches is a lot."

"Having said, after MS Dhoni came in, maybe I would have made a comeback. But I don’t see myself as unlucky. Coming from a place where I was, I feel absolute privilege at where I am. 25 Test matches, I would have taken that with both hands in 2002, when I made my Test debut,” he added.

In a short international career, Parthiv Patel proved to be a dogged batsman, finishing with 10 half-centuries. However, it was his poor wicket-keeping that cost him his place in the Indian team.

Current Indian team has a lot more options: Parthiv Patel

When Parthiv Patel started his international career, he played alongside legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman. When asked to compare that team with the present Virat Kohli-led outfit, the 36-year-old admitted the current side has more depth.

“Obviously, there is a debate over which is the greatest Indian team. The eras were different. You cannot just compare teams. What this team is doing right now is completely unbelievable. That does not mean that the teams of the past were not that great," he said.

"In early 2000s, no one thought India could win even a Test match in England or Australia. The Headingley Test in 2002 was an absolute green top, where India went on to win. In 2007, India won a series in England. But yes, I would say this side has more options. There are a lot of replacements ready."

winning or loosing will always remain part of the game but giving everything effort wise will remain in your hand……country is behind u and will always be proud of u…all the very best…we will be cheering for u…#Tokyo2020 https://t.co/y9LxbMrWAP

— parthiv patel (@parthiv9) July 18, 2021

Apart from playing for India, Parthiv Patel also represented multiple teams in the IPL. He played a total of 139 IPL games, scoring 2848 runs at a strike rate of 120.78.