One man’s misfortune could be another man’s good luck, this became true for Priyank Panchal. Right before Team India was set to go to South Africa, the team’s test vice-captain Rohit Sharma suffered an injury. Rohit Sharma’s hamstring injury, provides Priyank Panchal, a batting heavyweight on the Indian domestic circuit, a chance to play for the country.
Panchal, 31, gets his reward with a second call-up to the Indian Test squad. Recently he was sent to SA to play for India A in South Africa. Where he scored 96, 24 and 0. He was previously a stand-by player in India’s extended squad for the four-Test series against England at home.
Who is Priyank Panchal? What is special about him?
Priyank currently is one of India’s best domestic batsmen. When it comes to domestic accomplishments, Panchal is one of the best opening batters in the game. Playing nearly 100 First-Class matches he has scored over 7000 runs, including 24 centuries and 25 fifties. He also has a career-best of 314 not out, which he achieved against Punjab in the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy season. Panchal had amassed over 1300 runs and finished the tournament as the tournament’s leading run-getter.
Not only can Panchal bat, but he can also pitch as a right-arm medium-pacer when needed. Despite having only 22 wickets, he is capable of providing his team with the occasional breakthrough. The batsman has led Gujarat to their first Ranji Trophy title in the 2016-17 season, and he followed it up with another outstanding performance the following season, becoming the team’s leading run-getter with 542 runs from seven matches.
Panchal scored 898 runs in nine Ranji Trophy matches in 2018-19, and 367 runs in eight Vijay Hazare Trophy matches that year. He was among the runs in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy before joining the India A team in South Africa, scoring 134 against Maharashtra, 66 against Kerala, and an unbeaten 43 against Railways.
What can Priyank expect on the SA tour?
Though it is difficult to say whether or not Priyank Panchal will secure a place in the playing 11. KL Rahul along with Mayank Agarwal are likely to open for India. Despite the thin chances, it will be a great opportunity for the lad to learn from the senior players in the team and adapt and improvise his game.