“A dream come true” – N. Jagadeesan ahead of joining Indian team for fifth Test against England

When N. Jagadeesan was preparing to leave for practice on Thursday in his hometown of Coimbatore, his focus would have been to get ready for the TNCA first division league next week. Little did he expect to be picked for the Indian team to be part of the fifth Test against England next week, replacing the injured Rishabh Pant.

“I was surprised when I got the call,” said Jagadeesan. “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.”

The Tamil Nadu wicket-keeper has been rewarded for his consistent performances in the last two seasons of the Ranji Trophy, where he topped the run-charts for his side.

A key person behind the 29-year-old’s resurgence in recent times has been former India player Robin Uthappa. “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. He has a lot of experience and has gone through ups and downs and knows how it works in international cricket,” explained Jagadeesan.

Jagadeesan also felt that his promotion to the opening spot two years ago had helped him. “As an opener, the conditions are challenging, and I am happy with the way that I adapted to the challenge. It requires you to be shrewd in your shotmaking. To score centuries as an opener gives you a lot of confidence.”

As he now awaits his visa before joining the team, Jagadeesan adds, “I just want to be in the present, enjoy this moment and not get over excited.”