Parthiv Patel Reveals Why He Was Close To Leaving Cricket In 2008/09 Season

Wicketkeeper-batsman Parthiv Patel brought down curtains on his long cricket that spanned for 18-year-old career on Wednesday. The former India cricketer announced his retirement from all forms of the game. Parthiv Patel made his Test debut way back in 2002 as a 17-year old.

At the time of his Test debut, he was Test cricket’s youngest wicketkeeper. The 35-year old has finished his career with 25 Tests, 38 ODIs and two T20Is to his name. His last international appearance came in India’s famous Test win in Johannesburg in January 2018. A year later, he was also part of the squad when India won a Test series in Australia for the first time in their history.

However, things could have been very different for him had he not changed his mind in 2009/09 season after being ignored by the selectors for the tour of New Zealand. Following his retirement, Parthiv Patel has revealed that he was close to giving up after failing to make the cut for the tour.

“Before the New Zealand tour in 2008-09, I’d scored 800-odd runs in seven Ranji games. I made a hundred in the Duleep Trophy final. I was keeping really well. When I didn’t get picked [for the New Zealand tour], that was the moment where I felt probably [that] I’d never be able to make a comeback.

“I felt it was time I thought of something else. But support from my family and GCA [Gujarat Cricket Association] was phenomenal during that phase, and that is the reason why I changed my mindset of building a team here in Gujarat,” Parthiv Patel was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.

Parthiv Patel was absolutely right to change his mind as he enjoyed a stellar career after that. While his international career did not return to track, he went on to become one of Gujarat’s great players. He led the side to the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2015 for the first time, scoring a match-winning maiden List A century in the final against Delhi.

In the following season, he scored 143 against Mumbai to help Gujarat pull off the highest successful run-chase in a Ranji Trophy final as the state clinched their first ever title. And later, he earned a call-up from India’s Test team after eight long years.

Also Read: ‘Did they ask ICC?’: Sunil Gavaskar Slams England For Use Of Coded Information Through Clipboards

Also Read: India Missed MS Dhoni On DRS Decision-Making In The 3rd T20I: Aakash Chopra