Wasim Jaffer opens up on an Indian career that could have been
One of India's greatest domestic cricketers, Wasim Jaffer, opened up about his short international career, which was only a shadow of his domestic exploits.
In an interview with Mumbai Mirror, Jaffer explained that only he was to blame for his underachievement on the international stage. Jaffer played 260 first-class matches, scoring 19,410 runs at an average of 50.67. However, the opener represented India in only 31 Tests, despite having five Test centuries, including two 200+ scores to his name for India.
He also explained how his poor form coincided with the presence of some of the best Test openers India has ever seen, such as Virender Sehwag.
“Definitely. I would have loved to play more Tests. Maybe I was not consistent. I’ve nobody but myself to blame. My decline as an India cricketer coincided with the rise of some astonishing opening batsmen India started to produce. Gradually, I receded into the background.”
Between 2002 and 2008, Sehwag and Jaffer opened the batting for India in 28 Test matches, and scored 1031 runs at an average of 36.82. In the match against South Africa in Chennai in 2008 that saw Sehwag score 319, Jaffer played a composed innings of 73 runs in 166 balls, with the pair scripting a 213-run stand.
A batsman who has scored over 11,000 runs in the Ranji Trophy, Jaffer also talked about facing an in-form Brett Lee in Australia. The former Mumbai and Vidarbha batsman said that he wasn't mentally prepared to take on the Australian pace attack, despite the wickets being batsman-friendly on most occasions.
“The 2007-08 Test series in Australia kind of hastened my exit. Mentally, I was not there. The conditions were good for batting, but I wasn’t playing well at all. Brett Lee had my number. He was bowling really well, but I should have done something more to counter him. I strongly believe in destiny. Some things are not meant to happen.”