Parthiv Patel called in as back-up for MS Dhoni in Asia Cup

The Indian selectors today called up out of favor wicketkeeper-batsman Parthiv Patel as a back-up for MS Dhoni days ahead of the Asia Cup since the skipper is reported to have suffered a muscle spasm while training on in Bangladesh today.

The Indian team will start its campaign against hosts Bangladesh on February 24 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Anurag Thakur said in a statement said:

“India ODI and T20I captain MS Dhoni has suffered a muscle spasm in the back during a training session today in Dhaka,”

“The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named Parthiv Patel as the back-up wicketkeeper for the upcoming Asia Cup, 2016. He will join the team in Dhaka at the earliest.”

The Indian team is training at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah and that is where Dhoni suffered the spasm.

Parthiv last featured for India in a T20I against England at Manchester in 2011. The 30-year-old has played 20 Tests, 38 ODIs and a couple of T20Is for India. This is a good opportunity for the Gujarat lad who has been impressive especially in the T20 format in the last one year. He has played 27 innings and scored 760 runs at an average of 31.67. More exciting is the strike rate which is 148.15. Parthiv also has 11 thirty plus scores along with 7 half-centuries, with the best of 70. He has also been effective behind the wickets with 19 catches and 6 stumping.

NEWS ALERT: @parthiv9 to join team as MS Dhoni’s back up. The Indian Captain suffered a muscle spasm in the training session today #AsiaCup

— BCCI (@BCCI) February 22, 2016