A day before the third Test between India and Pakistan, Yuvraj Singh, one of the leading contenders for the opening slot, was asking Akash Chopra for tips on facing the new ball. Skipper Sourav Ganguly probably summoned the largesse of the experience of batting up the order in one-dayers. But diminutive wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel did nothing of the sort.
"I did not ask anyone for tips about opening the innings. I have done it before for the under-19 [India] team and I was confident about facing the new ball. There was really no fuss for me to open the innings," he told rediff.com after scoring 69 runs in only his second foray as an opener in Test cricket.
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His 203-minute stay at the crease saved skipper Sourav Ganguly from regretting his decision to drop opener Akash Chopra from the playing eleven and shield himself and Yuvraj Singh from the new ball.
"Sourav Ganguly told me a day before the Test that I will be opening the innings," he revealed, rubbishing reports that it was decided at tea on the first day of the Test to open with Patel.
The last time Patel opened the innings in Hamilton in 2002, Daryl Tuffey bowled him for a duck.
"I was not thinking about that dismissal at all. I told myself that I would just go by the team plan of staying at the wicket. I was not looking to get runs. I was just supposed to spend time at the crease," he said.
However, Patel admitted that keeping wickets and opening the innings is a tough job and both take a lot out of a player.
"There was no comforting zone. No one enjoys facing fast bowlers [read Shoaib Akhtar]. It was just a matter of spending time at the crease and with Rahul Dravid at the wicket it got a bit easier. I am lucky that we were in the field only for two sessions. But if there are days when the opposition keeps us on the field, it will be a very tough job."
Dravid, who has been there and done that in the shorter version of the game, was more forthcoming.
"It was hard on Parthiv. In the future we will have to discuss it," he said.
Praising the youngster, Dravid said, "It's a fantastic knock for a 19-year-old. He has shown he has the ability and the talent. And that is heartening.
"The thinking was that if Parthiv can see the new ball off it would not put pressure on the guys [Yuvraj Singh and Sourav Ganguly] who were doing well in the middle order," he explained.
If the India team management can recalibrate its game plan for Tests and opt for specialist opening batsmen, Patel's coming of age with the bat will add immense depth to the batting order.
But then, that is another story altogether.
