Ravi Shastri backs Rahul Tripathi for India debut on Ireland tour: He keeps the scoreboard moving

Former head coach Ravi Shastri lauded Rahul Tripathi’s batting approach while backing him to make his India debut in the two-match T20I series in Ireland. Shastri said that Tripathi has the ability to keep the scoreboard ‘ticking’ and has an excellent ‘shot-making ability and all-round game.

Tripathi was on cloud 9 after he was called up to play for India in their upcoming two-match T20I series against Andrew Balbirnie’s Ireland. The right-handed batter has been plying his trade on India’s domestic circuit for more than a decade and he reckoned that his hard work over the years have eventually paid off.

Tripathi came to the limelight in 2017 when he scored loads of runs for the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant. Thereafter, he performed well for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Tripathi notched 413 runs at a strike rate of 158.24 in IPL 2022, although the Orange Army failed to qualify for the playoffs. After getting picked to play for India, Tripathi thanked the ones who supported him through thick and thin.

“When he is there at the crease, the scoreboard is ticking. He doesn’t go behind the edged ball. Shot-making ability, the all-round game that he has, he’s not overawed by any opposition or by any bowler. He’s scoring at a great rate. You know which is tremendous at no.3 because he sets it up beautifully,” Shastri said while speaking to ESPNcricinfo.

“It is a very big opportunity, a dream come true (moment) and (I) appreciate (it),” Tripathi was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

“I am very happy that the selectors and everybody believed in me and whatever hard work I have put in, I have got the rewards. And hopefully, if I get an opportunity to play, I will try and give my best,” he added.