The selectors are the best people to answer why I couldn't stage a comeback to the Indian team: Wasim Jaffer
Former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer has opined that the selectors would be the best people to ask regarding why he was never given an opportunity to stage a comeback to the national team.
Wasim Jaffer spoke candidly about his international and domestic career during an interaction on the SportsTiger YouTube show 'Off the Field'.
The Mumbaikar was asked how he had been so consistent after having played for so long, with so many memorable knocks to his name. Wasim Jaffer responded that although he was extremely consistent at the domestic level, he could not replicate that on the global stage, which was the primary reason for him not having a long run with the Indian team.
"To be honest, I was not that consistent otherwise I would have played more than 100 Test matches. I was not that consistent at international level, that is why I was dropped. But I was consistent on the domestic front."
The highest run-scorer in Ranji Trophy cricket mentioned that he was more known for his exploits in domestic cricket rather than his performances at the international level.
"Lot of people know me or I have got famous for my first-class career more than the international cricket I have played. But I have been fortunate, the love for the game, the love for batting and that is the only thing I feel I know."
Wasim Jaffer added that the love of the game had made him continue playing for so long apart from it being the source of income for him.
"I don't know much other than playing cricket, so that is why I didn't leave it earlier and I wanted to continue as long as possible and it is also my bread and butter. That love for the game had remained until last year until I retired, when my body had given it up."
Wasim Jaffer on not being given a chance to make a comeback
Wasim Jaffer was further asked if he feels that he had deserved a chance to make a comeback considering his exploits at the domestic level. The former Mumbai and Vidarbha cricketer replied that he had certainly performed well in first-class cricket while leading his teams to domestic titles.
"I think I definitely performed after I was dropped in 2008. The very next season I was the highest run-getter in Ranji Trophy. I got 1250 runs the same season, I was the Ranji captain, we went on to win the Ranji Trophy. I was the captain in West Zone, we went on to win the Duleep Trophy."
The 42-year-old recalled that he was close to being selected to the Indian team in 2012-13 but that Shikhar Dhawan had pipped him to the post.
"And even in 2012-13, even then I was very close to being selected when Shikhar Dhawan got selected. So, I came very close a couple of times or even more but somehow I missed the bus which I don't know."
Wasim Jaffer signed off by stating that the national selectors would be the right people to respond why he never earned a recall while adding that he did not have any regrets as he had tried his best.
"Probably the selectors are the best people who can answer that. But I definitely kept knocking the doors but never got a look-in. So no regrets about it."
Wasim Jaffer scored 1944 runs in the 31 Test matches he played for India, at an average of 34.10. This included 5 centuries, with his highest score of 212 runs coming against West Indies at Antigua in 2006.
He is regarded as a doyen of Indian domestic cricket, having scored 19410 runs in 260 first-class matches. These runs were scored at an excellent average of 50.67 and included 57 hundreds and 91 half-centuries.