Dravid and Laxman did not get enough credit, says Jaffer
Former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer stated that veterans like VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid did not get enough due in their careers. Jaffer, who recently retired from all forms of cricket, believes the duo mattered the most at the crucial junctures in Test cricket. He also stated that the Test format is fading with the glamour quotient replacing it. Here is what Jaffer said.
Cricket has transcended to a different level
"I think time has changed. Even in my time I feel a lot of players like Rahul Dravid or VVS Laxman, I don't think they got their value. A player playing with them in a Test match knows how important those players are," Jaffer said.
T20 cricket has garnered more attention of late
According to Jaffer, the spotlight has been more on the white-ball cricket these days. "A lot of importance is given to T20 cricket," he reiterated. He added, "The people who are in marketing business or advertising business want somebody who is seen more on the TV, somebody who is glamorous or someone who plays the brand of cricket the crowd likes."
Jaffer's 8-year-old career was full of ups and downs
Wasim Jaffer made his international debut in a Test against South Africa on February 24, 2000. In a career that spanned over eight years, he scored 1,944 runs from 58 innings at 34.10. He also tallied 2 double hundreds, 5 hundreds and 11 fifties during the period. In February 2020, Jaffer became the first player to register 12,000 runs in Ranji Trophy history.
Jaffer's inconsistency stalled his international career
In the mid-2000s, Wasim Jaffer used to complement Virender Sehwag in the longest format of the game. The right-handed batsman, who retired from cricket earlier this month, made truckload of runs during his career. However, lack of consistency and inability to score runs overseas impacted his international career big time. Jaffer believes fortunes did not favor him during his comeback.
I came very close to chances of comeback, says Jaffer
"I think I had a lot of chances. But the comeback didn't happen. This happens with most cricketers. They feel they deserve to be there but do not get the opportunity because somebody else grabs it. I am a firm believer in destiny," Jaffer said.
You can't be a one-dimensional player, feels Jaffer
Jaffer highlighted the importance of versatility in modern day cricket. He feels that every cricketer needs to acclimatize with all three formats. "You will be recognised and respected only if you fit in all formats. I am not saying Pujara is not respected, but then obviously he is going to play only Test cricket and no other format," Jaffer concluded.
