Parthiv Patel: Fighting on since 2000

Gujarat were playing Maharashtra in an important three-day under-16 Vijay Merchant Trophy (West Zone) match in Kolhapur in December 2000.

Maharashtra scored a mammoth 431 all out. In reply, Gujarat were shot out for 196.

Asked to follow on, another collapse would have seen Gujarat lose the game outright. The burden of saving Gujarat rested on the inexperienced shoulders of a certain Parthiv Patel. The then 15-year-old had already scored 101 in the first innings.

You could've forgiven had he failed. But Patel was in no mood to.

The youngster went on to score an unbeaten double ton – 201 (288b, 318m, 27x4, 1x6) – and saved Gujarat from a humiliating innings defeat as the game ended in a draw. For the record, Gujarat scored 297 for the loss of five wickets.

A year-and-a-half later, Patel, at 17 years and 153 days, became the youngest wicketkeeper in the world to play Test cricket when he made his debut for India against England at Nottingham in 2002.

Having not quite set the cricketing world on fire despite all the talent and promise, Patel was shown the door after three years, the Test series against Australia in 2004 being his last.

Patel made a return to the international scene in 2008 for the Test series against Sri Lanka due to injury to regular wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. However, his scores of 13 and 1 in Colombo saw him being confined to domestic cricket for the next eight years.

You could've forgiven had he stopped. But Patel was in no mood to.

Dream 2016

Circa 2016. The hardwork that Patel put in over the years gone by saw him make a comeback to the big stage. The followers of the game saw a fighter in Patel, one who doesn't believe in giving up.

The southpaw returned as a much improved batsman. He also had the added touch of leadership qualities, having led Gujarat to three domestic titles: two Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 (2012-13, 2014-15) and Vijay Hazare Trophy (2015-16).

The 2016-17 season seems a dream for the 31-year-old. Patel has not only returned to Test cricket with some attractive knocks against England in back-to-back Tests, but also entered the history books by becoming the first captain from Gujarat to win the Ranji Trophy, beating defending champions Mumbai in the final here on Saturday.

The only time Gujarat made the final of India's premier domestic tournament was in 1950-51. However, they lost that game to Holkar in the same city.

The celebrations after the win said it all. Patel's teammates picked him up on their shoulders for his match-winning knock of 143 while chasing down Mumbai's target of 312.

The captain was the toast of victory not only for the team, but even the spectators who were in the awe of the pocket-sized dynamite. Chants of "Parthiv, Parthiv" from Gujarat supporters reverberated across the Holkar Stadium.

All in the mind

Patel's dream of winning a Ranji Trophy title for his state wasn't an overnight one. Rather, it was all planned.

"Parthiv told all his teammates and the management that we will be playing 11 games, rather directly talking about the final. The 11th game is actually the final of the Ranji Trophy. He asked his teammates to take one game at a time," said a source in the team.

In fact, even when he was with the Indian team for the Test matches against England, Patel made sure he was connected to his statemates.

"He was keeping the track of the scores even when he was playing Tests for India. He was concerned about the result and would keep calling to motivate the boys," the source added.
Current Gujarat coach Vijay Patel has seen Patel since his under-16 days. He admires the man for his dedication.

"He has always been committed ever since he started playing cricket. I was the coach when he was playing for Gujarat U-16. He had already started showing signs of maturity from that age," said the coach.

Former India stumper Kiran More, too, is a fan of Patel's street smartness.

"Parthiv is a terrific cricketer and fighter, even when he was not part of team. He is one of the best captains in Indian domestic circuit. He has won Syed Mushtaq Ali twice, Vijay Hazare, became the first captain from Gujarat to win the Ranji Trophy. Full credit goes to Patel for his quality leadership. I rate him high. He is one of the smartest cricket brains in the country," said More.

More also praised Patel for handling a young team with aplomb. "He is fantastic and fun-loving, someone who reads the game well. He handles the team and knows the best to get out of all the players of Gujarat. Also, full marks to all the players," More said.

Before making a return to the Indian team, Patel was nowhere in the scene.

If you hadn't followed domestic cricket, you'd be forgiven to think that he has given up on the game. But Patel was in no mood to.

He was preparing hard to make a comeback, training the same way as he used to before graduating to international cricket in 2002.

"If the practice was at 6.30am, he would be there at that time," Gujarat coach Vijay said. "His shoulders had not dropped, nor had he given up hope. He would not declare it openly and shout from the roof top that he wants to make a comeback. But he silently did that by scoring runs whenever he got the opportunity," Patel said.

Drop him at your own risk

He did, and the made the India call-up count. Patel's form with the bat has been so prolific that it would not be wise to drop him from the Test squad even if Wriddhiman Saha makes a return from his injury.

Considering his current form, the southpaw can walk into the side purely on his batting. "He has been scoring prolifically in domestic season and when he got a chance to play for India. He worked and performed with the bat and did well with the gloves as well. It is not easy to go out and perform after seven-eight years," former India cricketer and ex-Gujarat coach Anshuman Gaekwad said of his prodigy.

"He is fit and performing. He is an advantage to any team. I think he can easily walk into the Indian team on his current form," he added.

Always growing

Gaekwad felt that the domestic season would mean a lot to Patel. "It basically shows he is not only experienced, but he is a responsible guy and captain of the team. He has proved it, he has carried the team," he said.

More believed it was his fighting spirit that kept him going. "He made his debut at the age of 17. Just imagine the mindset and the maturity he had when he played for India. And that continues to grow. Unbelievable," More said.

"Whenever I met him, he always showed his positive character. He believed in the wait and watch policy. He got the opportunity as the selectors had to fall back on Parthiv. He gets a great balance to the team. Apart from keeping, he can bat anywhere, from opening to No.3, to No.6 or 7," he added.

Parthiv's close family friend Tushar Trivedi, who works as a journalist for a Gujarati newspaper in Ahmedabad, recounted a tale of Patel.

"He was born two days before Ravi Shastri won the Audi in Benson & Hedges Cricket Championship in 1885. He was very mischievous. Once, he lost his small finger of his left hand. His sister had locked him the bathroom when he was doing some mischief. As the door was being shut, he started screaming. The family thought that he was fooling around but after a few minutes when they went to see, his finger was stuck in the door. The doctor had to cut his finger," said Trivedi. "That did not stop him from continuing with his mischief.

"He is a great fighter," he added.