Jagadeesan grateful for making it to the Indian squad

A little over a month ago, N. Jagadeesan earned his maiden Test call up as a replacement for an injured Rishabh Pant. Though he did not feature in the eleven for that fifth Test against England a month ago, the experience of being a part of the Indian team meant the world to him.

This positive feeling has carried into the Duleep Trophy here, where Jagadeesan hit a fine 197 to put South Zone on top against North Zone.

“I took the positives from the India call-up in terms of being more confident. Getting an India call-up is something which a lot of people dream of. I was very lucky to be there,” Jagadeesan said here on Friday.

The Tamil Nadu wicketkeeper-batter explained that he was guarded against being overwhelmed by the experience. “It is very important for me to not get overwhelmed, or to try and copy someone in the Indian team just because they’ve already been there. I’ve fought my way to get to the Indian team, so it is important for me to stick to what I’ve done,” Jagadeesan said.

Keep away pressure

The race to earn a wicketkeeper-batter spot in the Indian team is crowded with talent, which puts the onus on Jagadeesan to consistently make big scores on the domestic circuit. But he is wary of putting too much pressure on himself.

“I’m here to just enjoy every match. I’m grateful for the opportunity to play here, because there are a billion people who would love to play in the Duleep Trophy, Ranji Trophy, or to be a part of the Indian team.” Jagadeesan said.