"I am eager to perform well in Lanka,'' says Parthiv

Chennai, Jul 12 (UNI) Wicketkeeper-batsman Parthiv Patel, who came back into the reckoning of the national selection committee with his performance especially with the bat in the Indian Premier League (IPL) today expressed happiness on his return to the Test squad.

''I am happy to be back in the squad for the Lanka tour'', the diminutive Gujarat left hander said in a brief reaction after a stint at the nets at the M A Chidambaram stadium along with south paw speedster Zaheer Khan this evening.

Both arrived a day ahead of the other members of the 16 member squad which will have a day's nets here on July 14 before leaving for Colombo on July 15.

''Now I am eager to perform well in the Test series,'' Parthiv said. Parthiv had last played for India in a Test match at Nagpur in 2004 against Australia. He was replaced by Tamil Nadu wicketkeeper batsman Dinesh Karthick, who is also in the Lanka bound squad now.

Heavy security has already been posted at the stadium, Tamil Nadu Cricket Association(TNCA) secretary Kasi Viswanathan said.

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