'Always Told Me Not To..'- Priyank Panchal Shares Priceless Advice From Jasprit Bumrah
Priyank Panchal | Source: Twitter
Last month, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the ODI and Test squads for the West Indies tour, which triggered a wave of voices demanding Sarfaraz Khan's inclusion in the team.
Many expressed frustration over the selectors and management continually overlooking him, despite his outstanding and consistent performances in the Ranji Trophy.
However, another deserving talent, Priyank Panchal, has been knocking on the national team's door with consistent run-scoring in the Ranji Trophy but is yet to receive his India call-up.
In the last edition of the Ranji Trophy, Panchal scored 583 runs at a staggering average of 116.60, but still, the selectors didn't consider him for the upcoming two-match Test series against the West Indies.
In such cases, it's natural for frustration and anger to surface, but the Gujarat batter remains resilient, holding on to his optimism for an India debut.
In his conversation with Sportskeeda, Panchal also shared valuable advice he received from India's star pace bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, who wisely counselled him not to fixate on expectations but instead focus solely on honing his game and leave the rest on destiny.
Here's what Priyank Panchal stated
"I generally talk with Jasprit. He has played a lot of cricket for Gujarat and has gone through this situation a lot where he is expecting something and it didn’t happen. So he always told me to not expect anything. If something comes my way, it will come eventually. So as an athlete, it is important to not run behind peace or success as it will come if it is meant to be."
I would love to play IPL: Priyank Panchal
While striving for an opportunity to don the whites for India, Panchal has openly conveyed his desire to make his mark in the IPL, aiming to be a part of the cash-rich league:
"I think now I am focused on working hard and looking forward to playing in the Duleep Trophy. I am keen to help my team become a champion. Apart from that, IPL is something that obviously I would love to play and I have been working hard since the last 3-4 years to help my white-ball game and I have scored runs also."
"Being impactful is important so I was working really hard. Last year during Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy I realized I have what it takes to score quickly. I have the technique and ability to score runs with the new ball. Gujarat Cricket Association supports a lot in terms of providing everything. That makes a lot of difference."
Panchal and Jasprit Bumrah have been teammates in domestic cricket for Gujarat and the duo shares a great bond over the years. While Bumrah has been the backbone of India’s pace attack in red-ball cricket, Panchal is still in the queue to represent India at the highest level.