Narayan Jagadeesan has confirmed being part of the India squad for the fifth Test against England, which will be played at the Oval. Keeper-batter Rishabh Pant hurt his right foot on Day 1 of the fourth Test at Old Trafford in Manchester, and even though he batted on Day 2 with the injury, the BCCI confirmed that he won’t be keeping wickets. Second-choice keeper Dhruv Jurel kept wickets in his absence.
In the meantime, even though BCCI hasn’t announced Jagadeesan’s call-up, the player made it official. He noted that it was the ‘most significant step’ of his career and added that his ‘dream came true’. Notably, he has been very consistent for Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy, and it helped the 29-year-old earn a spot in the national team.
“I was surprised when I got the call. It is the most significant step of my career and a dream come true. I have grown up thinking about this very moment. It is a great feeling not just for me but my parents and coach (A.G. Guruswamy) as well,” Jagadeesan told The Hindu.
Jagadeesan credits Robin Uthappa
A couple of years earlier, when Jagadeesan wasn’t picked in the IPL auction, the cricketer spoke to Robin Uthappa, who served as a mentor to him. Jagadeesan credited him and mentioned that the 2007 World Cup-winning member gave him the sense of security, which was crucial for him at that point.
“We have known each other since our CSK days. A couple of years ago, after not being picked in the IPL, I felt I needed a mentor, and we got in touch. He has helped me a lot. He has given me a sense of security about how I feel as a cricketer. I have worked with him to improve my mindset in terms of goal-setting, manifesting and also technical aspects of the game, especially in T20 cricket,” explained Jagadeesan.