Calcutta: Parthiv Patel's return to the national fold could not have been sweeter.

Called up all of a sudden after a thigh injury to Wriddhiman Saha, the job wasn't at all easier for the 31-year-old who had last played a Test eight years ago. And on top of that, he was straightaway asked to open.

Parthiv had his task cut out against a good English bowling attack in Mohali. But he did ensure to respond brilliantly.

A blazing 67 after a polished 42 earned him plaudits from captain Virat Kohli. Not allowing James Anderson and Chris Woakes to make inroads with the new ball, Parthiv did make the task easier for the batsmen to follow.

Having impressed in his comeback game, Parthiv was thankful to the team and of course, Kohli, for making him feel wanted in the dressing room again, after eight long years.

"The kind of welcome and the vibes that I got in the dressing room was really important. Coming back after eight years and wearing India whites, you are a bit nervous before the start of a Test match or while you are preparing for that moment to play for India.

"The guys welcomed me and it never felt like I was coming back to the dressing room after a huge gap," Parthiv told bcci.tv on Wednesday.

Parthiv was barely 17 when he made his Test debut, but a poor run of form and the emergence of a certain Mahendra Singh Dhoni saw him sidelined for a long time. But in Mohali, there were hardly any nerves, no tentativeness and it was almost as if those eight years were non-existent.

The cherry on top was him hitting the winning runs, which definitely was a moment to savour for Parthiv. "It was a great moment for me. I have been a part of Test matches before, but I had never ever hit the winning runs...

"As a batsman, it feels great to finish off the game. To get the winning runs after making a comeback is a proud moment for me.

"Virat was at the other end and he said he was very happy to see me getting runs. Playing for your country is the biggest honour and making a comeback is even harder. Virat, along with other teammates, made me comfortable."

Parthiv was able to reproduce his domestic form on the big stage. "Having played domestic cricket for long, I know my game well. I always back myself to perform and get runs.

"I was in very good form in first-class cricket and I wanted to make this opportunity count. I wanted to continue that form into this Test match. It is the kind of energy you need to take while you are batting.

"The most important part is to get runs in the game. If you are getting them, you are able to take pressure off yourself and your partner at the other end.

"I played well in the first innings as well, but it was necessary to show intent in the second innings too, especially when you are chasing a low score. I am glad I could get a fifty in the second innings and stay there till the end for the team."

Captain Kohli too was very impressed with Parthiv. "It was amazing to see the way he approached his job in both innings... That's where experience from the first-class level comes into play. He's someone who's played [for India] at a very early age and he's come back and showed his intent... I think he just deflated the opposition.

"Credit goes to him to go out there and counter attack and take on the seamers. I think he really stood out in this game as a batsman."

Kohli also spoke highly of Parthiv's wicketkeeping.

Parthiv himself, however, looks for further improvements. "I am happy with the way I kept wickets, but I can always get better. To keep wickets in that kind of a pitch was not as easy as it looked, but now I have some time to work on it."