It was a ‘dream come true’ moment for Rahul Tripathi when he found himself in the 17-man squad for the Ireland T20Is. He has been knocking on the doors of the selectors for a long time with his remarkable batting performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the domestic circuit.
Tripathi’s neglect for the South Africa series at home caused quite a stir on social media. Fans expressed dismay at the selectors for ignoring the batsman who scored 413 runs in 14 matches in IPL 2022. Of late, he finally got his first call-up and is ready to represent India in Ireland.
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has heaped praise on the 31-year-old batsman, saying Tripathi has ‘shot making ability’ and is not overwhelmed by any opposition bowler.
“When he is at the crease, the scoreboard is ticking. He doesn’t go after the edged ball”, Shastri told ESPNcricinfo in a discussion.
“The shot making ability, the all-rounder game he has, is not affected by any opposition or any bowler. He is scoring runs at great pace. You know which one is awesome at number 3 because he sets it up beautifully”, he added.
Tripathi has been in the limelight since IPL 2017, when he made his debut for Rising Pune Supergiant and scored 391 runs. Thereafter, he played for Kolkata Knight Riders till 2021, in which he scored 994 runs in four seasons.
Tripathi had termed his first India call-up, which was the result of his hard work over the years.
“This is a huge opportunity, a dream come true (moment), and (I) appreciate it,” Tripathi told PTI.
“I am very happy that the selectors and everyone believed in me and I have been rewarded for all the hard work I have put in. And hopefully if I get a chance to play, I will try to give my best.
Tripathi, who has played for the prestigious Deccan Gymkhana Club, one of the oldest clubs in Pune, has 2,540 first-class runs in 47 matches. He has also captained Maharashtra in domestic cricket.
(with agency input)
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