A spectacular Test debut it wasn’t, but Rajat Patidar showed why the selectors and the team management put faith in him. He batted well for his 32 and put on 70 important runs for the fourth wicket with Yashasvi Jaiswal, the star on the opening day of the second Test against England.
“It was a dream-come-true moment for me,” the 30-year-old said at a press conference. “I didn’t feel any pressure as I have played a lot of games in domestic cricket on this track. Yes, I slept well last night. It was normal for me.”
He came into the Test after scoring a couple of hundreds against England Lions. “I gained confidence with those hundreds,” he said. “The two series I played for India-A also helped me prepare.”
For Patidar, it had been a long wait to get his Test cap, which he received from former left-arm quick Zaheer Khan. “Waiting for so long is common in Indian cricket,” said the Madhya Pradesh batter. “There are a lot of contenders. I was just focusing on things that are in my hands. So at the age of 30, I came here and it feels good.”
Lauds Jaiswal
He was all praise for Jaiswal’s superb unbeaten hundred. “He is a very good player,” Patidar said. “There is something special about the way he takes on the bowlers. I felt my innings was a good one, but I need to make a big one.”
He enjoyed his partnership with Jaiswal. “We were talking about taking our stand as far as possible,” he said. “We were playing each ball on merit.”
Patidar, who made his ODI debut in South Africa recently, said it was a good wicket to bat on. “We will try to bat as long as we can,” he said, looking ahead to the second day.
