`Mature` Parthiv still looks like 16-yr-old, says Kumble

Mumbai [India], Dec. 6 (ANI): Heaping praise on Parthiv Patel, India's head coach Anil Kumble on Tuesday said that the recalled wicketkeeper-batsman still looks like 16. Interacting with the media ahead of the fourth Test starting from December 8, Kumble said, "Even when he first came in, he was 16-year-old, he still looks 16 without the beard. If you shave the beard off, he will still look 16." "I think he has shown a lot of maturity even when he first walked out in India colours, he saved the Test match for India and it certainly shows that if you really putting in the hard yards in domestic cricket and never losing faith and believing that you can make a comeback into the Indian team then it's possible." The 31-year-left hander, who made his Test debut in 2002 against England, scored in both the innings of the Mohali Test. Opening the batting for India, walking out to the middle with Murali Vijay, Patel made a classy 42 in the first innings and followed it up with a rapid fire unbeaten 67 off 54 balls in the second and help his side win the match comfortably by eight wickets and take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series against England. "I was really pleased that he could walk into the match not just to keep and bat at 6 or 7. But when he was asked to open, he put his hand up and did that really well. So that goes to show not just the individual but the character of the player, team comes up before self. He was not worried about failing," he said. "When you are coming into a team, making a comeback after 8 years, you always want to do for yourself. But here was Parthiv, who was willing to put his hand up and say 'OK I don't mind opening' and he did that really well. I am really pleased for him," he added. Patel, who was recalled into the Test side after a gap of eight years in Mohali, has been retained for the Mumbai Test as well. In a press release, the BCCI stated, "The BCCI medical team has confirmed that wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha is still recuperating from the strain in his left thigh, which he sustained during the second Test match at Vizag." "As a precautionary measure, Saha has been advised rest. The BCCI medical team is monitoring the wicketkeeper-batsman's progress," the release added. (ANI)