Parthiv has put pressure on Wriddhiman: Sourav Ganguly

‘If you get an opportunity’ grab, it with both hands.’ This famous quote is currently doing rounds among cricket fans on social media. Easy to say than actually doing it but Gujarat wicket keeper Parthiv Patel just provided an example of it after hitting the winning runs for India in the Mohali Test.

Parthiv scored a gritty 42 in the first innings before hitting a quickfire 54-ball 67 not out in the second to power India to an eight-wicket win over England that gave the hosts an unassailable 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

Former captain Sourav Ganguly praised comeback-man Parthiv Patel for not throwing away the opportunity he got after eight years of exile from Test cricket. “Not sure if Wriddhiman Saha is fit or not. In the next game, India will have an opener and bring Parthiv Patel down to No.6 if at all Wriddhiman is not fit. If Wriddhiman is fit then Parthiv will have to go back and play Ranji Trophy. The good thing he has done, he has made sure that he’s the No.2 wicket-keeper in the country at the moment.”

“With these performances, he has not only put pressure on Wriddhi but he has also sent a message to the selectors that I am still good enough. He’s just 31, he has got 6-7 years of cricket left in him. Once they start going overseas, he would be a part of the team because he is a good player of fast bowling. He’s made a case for himself. What happens in the future is not in his control but he has not wasted his opportunity,” Ganguly told India Today.

Virat Kohli recorded his 12th win as captain in only his 20th Test at the helm. He has not suffered a single defeat in his last 16 Tests (12 wins, 4 draws). Ganguly said he does not want to take the credit away from Kohli.

“Cricket has changed since the times of Sunil Gavaskar because there were more drawn Test matches then and there are more result-oriented games now. You see around the world, Test matches finish in four days. He (Virat Kohli) has played a lot of Test matches at home which is easier. From that point of view, he has had little bit of advantage over Gavaskar and MS Dhoni but can’t take the credit away from him. He has beaten West Indies in West Indies and Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka. He’s done superbly (well) but these records will change once they start going away. I think that’s where it will be the real challenge for Virat Kohli and Anil Kumble,” Ganguly said.