Priyank Panchal in awe of Dravid: 'Words of Rahul sir motivate me to do well'

Mumbai, December 14: Priyank Panchal has replaced an injured Rohit Sharma in India’s Test squad for the series against South Africa. Rohit has suffered a hamstring injury ahead of the series that starts on December 26.

Panchal is an experienced opener from Gujarat who has made upwards of 7000 runs in first-class cricket with 24 hundreds and 25 fifties in domestic cricket.

He was understandably elated at his call up the national side.

“I was very excited during training sessions, thinking that now that I am captain, I have to do this and do that. In excitement, you forget what you really want to do," Panchal told The Indian Express.

“So Rahul sir had told me, 'Just be normal. You have it naturally within you, and that is why you have been given this job.

“You don’t need to change your game at all. Just follow your path, the way you have performed in domestic cricket all these years, just do that here.’ That really helped me," he recalled.

“When he says something, you absorb it instantly as a cricketer, because it comes from someone who has had such a long cricketing journey and so much experience,” he said.

Panchal is no stranger to Dravid’s methods as he has seen the former India captain training at the NCA during his playing days.

“I have seen how hard Rahul sir would train at the NCA during my Under-15 days. I have followed him ever since I began my career. I have been lucky to have interacted with him while with India A," he said.

Rohit ruled out of Test series

Meanwhile, India’s Test vice-captain Rohit Sharma was on Monday (December 13) ruled out of the entire three-Test series against South Africa as his old left-hamstring injury resurfaced during the team’s net session in Mumbai where he also took a hit on his hand.

India A captain Priyank Panchal will be Rohit’s replacement opener in the Test series.

“Team India Test vice-captain Rohit Sharma sustained a left hamstring injury during his training session here in Mumbai yesterday. He has been ruled out of the upcoming 3-match Test series against South Africa. Priyank Panchal will replace Rohit Sharma in the Test squad,” BCCI stated in a press release.