After waiting game, Parthiv ready for the challenge

Parthiv Patel has been named in the Indian side after a year for the tour of South Africa and the keeper-batsman is ready for the challenge in the land of the Proteas.

Parthiv Patel has made his way into the Indian team after a year and will be eager to cement his place in the side.

Parthiv Patel was on the flight to Jaipur when the national selectors named the seventeen-member Test squad for the South Africa tour.

The wicketkeeper-batsman heard the news only after the flight landed at the Sanganer International airport in the Pink City, where the Gujarat team arrived on Monday evening for its Ranji Trophy quarterfinal fixture against Bengal.

READ: No surprises in India squad for South Africa Tests

And, talking to  Sportstar  from the aircraft, Parthiv sounded excited about yet another comeback. “I am quite happy. It is always a dream to make a comeback, like I did against England (last year),” the 32-year-old said in a single breath.

The last time Parthiv donned the Indian colours was in the Test series against England last year, and it has been a long wait since. But then, the stumper-batsman is happy to have finally made his ‘second comeback’.

“(It is true that) after that (England series), there was a bit of a waiting game, but I am quite happy with the resilience I have shown (over the months),” he said. Taking a pause, he added: “There are certain feelings that are difficult to describe. I am really happy to be back into the squad.”

Even though he has played just four Ranji Trophy matches so far, Parthiv hammered a knock of 173 against Rajasthan in Surat — his highest of the season.

And now that he will be travelling to South Africa as the second wicketkeeper (the first choice is Wriddhiman Saha), even Parthiv is aware of the fact that he will have to wait for his turn to feature in the playing eleven. But then, he wants to go with the flow. “I am not thinking about anything now. I have always been a team-man and I am always ready to play in whichever role the team wants me to be in,” the keeper-batsman added.

After a year, an opportunity has again come his way and Parthiv is ready for the challenge in the land of the Proteas.