Didn't feel any pressure, it was normal for me: Patidar on Test debut

NEW DELHI: Years of toil in the domestic circuit,

Rajat Patidar

found himself well-prepared for his Test debut against England in Visakhapatnam on Friday.
The opening day of the second Test was just another 'normal' day for the 30-year-old late bloomer. Patidar, who stepped into first-class cricket with Madhya Pradesh back in 2015, received the confirmation of his place in the playing eleven a day before the match.

Riding on the momentum of consecutive centuries against England Lions for India A, Patidar entered the game high on confidence.
Displaying assurance in his innings, he managed a composed 32 runs off 72 balls, including a boundary crafted through a reverse sweep. However after a promising start, Patidar couldn't capitalize on the opportunity as he succumbed while attempting a forward-defensive shot against leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed in the final session.

"It was a dream come true moment for me. Representing the country is a dream for every player. Going into the middle, there was no pressure as I have played lot of games in domestic cricket. I slept well last night. It was normal for me," Patidar said after close of play.
"I have also played two series at the A level (NZ and England). It gives a lot of confidence when you play at that level. I gained in confidence playing against Lions (recently). The two hundreds against Lions were very crucial for me."

The Test debut on Friday and ODI cap last month came after a major setback for Patidar, who missed the whole of IPL last year due to an achilles heel injury that required surgery.
On the long wait for his Test debut, he said: "Waiting for so long is common in Indian cricket (laughs). There are lot of players. I was just focussing on things that are in my hands. So at the age of 30 I came here, feeling pretty good," said Patidar, who was handed his Test cap by former pacer Zaheer Khan.
He also praised Yashavi Jaiswal's special effort as he singlehandedly took India to 336 for six with an unbeaten 179 off 257 balls.
"We (Yashasvi and I) were talking about taking the game as long as possible. My innings, it was good but I have to make it big. Talking about Yashavi, he is a very good player. The way he takes on the bowlers, he has special ability in him."
Heading into day two, Patidar said: "The wicket is really good to bat on. We will try to bat as long as we can."
(With inputs from PTI)