Priyank Panchal Remains 'Very Optimistic' Of Representing India In Test Cricket

Gujarat captain and batsman Priyank Panchal, 31, remains ‘very optimistic’ to one day represent India in Test cricket. Despite piling up a huge amount of runs in domestic cricket, the opener remains away from the Test side.

In the last five years, Priyank Panchal’s name has often been taken as a backup opener to the regulars but someone else pipped him over. Recently, youngsters Prithvi Shaw and Shubman Gill were added to the Test side over the Gujarat opener.

Priyank Panchal has played 98 first-class games since his debut in 2008. In those, he has amassed 6891 runs at 45.63, and thumped 24 hundreds, with a best of 314*.

“I am not sure if the pandemic has been a roadblock or not. You never know when an opportunity will come up, and I remain very optimistic about it. I have been talked about as a probable Test opener for a long time, and I am grateful for the fact that I could be a part of this competition,” Priyank Panchal told Sporskeeda.

“I have worked really hard and tried to be consistent in the Ranji Trophy and the India A matches. I will continue to focus on consistency. My ambition remains to wear the Indian Test cap and to represent the country.”

Ranji Trophy performances matter: Priyank Panchal

When asked if his non-appearance in the IPL so far has hurt his chances of getting into the national reckoning, Priyank Panchal was quick to highlight that Ranji Trophy performances also matter significantly. He stated that while the IPL brings a player into the limelight, Ranji and List-A numbers do hold great substance.

“Obviously, Ranji Trophy performances matter. I was able to play for India A because of my consistent performances in the Ranji Trophy. Whichever domestic competition you play – IPL, Ranji, etc., you need to make the most of the opportunities and perform in order to help your team.

“Yes, I am working very hard on my white-ball game. Much of it is also the mindset and about adding shots to my game. I want to leave a mark on all three formats of the game,” the Gujarat opener added.

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