Experienced Mumbai opener Wasim Jaffer is still waiting for a chance to represent India at the highest level. What are his chances of making it to the national team amidst huge competition? The Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) should take a concrete decision in order to cement his place in the team when he is in best of form. As far as Jaffer is considered, it is now or never for him.
Anshuman Gaekwad is well aware of couple of things or two about opening partnerships. Not only was he himself an opening batsman, he also viewed, as coach, the future of a good opening pair offering India its Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 1998.
Gaekwad shares a special relationship with Wasim Jaffer on an exclusive basis. It has to be remembered that Mumbai’s Jaffer during his 80 against Rest of India at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday.
Sandeep Patil’s selection committee will choose the India squad for the series against Australia in Mumbai soon. Baroda-based Gaekwad informed on Saturday that the selectors should not be in a dilemma to look at Wasim Jaffer, who has scored excessively and impressively for Mumbai this season. Jaffer supported himself to 80 in the current Irani Cup match against Rest of India.
“I am a bit wary of Gautam Gambhir. He looks tentative and has not come into his own. I would consider Cheteshwar Pujara, Murali Vijay and Wasim Jaffer.
Now, I know there is all this talk about looking ahead and here’s where Jaffer faces a disadvantage. It’s sad. Looking ahead to younger talent is fine, but the question must be asked as to how many options do we have? “It’s not that we have a young opening batsman who is scoring heavily and waiting to be picked. In this scenario, I would pick someone like Jaffer who has done all the right things this season and that is… scoring runs,” said Gaekwad.
The 60-year-old ex coach’s 1998 India team consisted of Navjot Singh Sidhu and Nayan Mongia opening the innings and the duo had a century stand in each of the Test matches during whic India emerged victorious long back at that time. Australia were demolished by a 122-run opening stand in the first Test at Chennai before Sidhu and Mongia piled up 191 in India’s lone innings at Kolkata. Shane Warne will always remember Sachin Tendulkar’s 155 in Chennai, but he is also wary of Sidhu’s exploits.
The aspect that Jaffer is six days shy of observing his 35th birthday is not a thing of concern for Gaekwad.
“Look, even Sunil Gavaskar will agree that batsmen mature late. I don’t see age as a problem as long as Jaffer is fit and to me, he doesn’t look unfit. And as I said before, what great options do we have,” he stressed. Jaffer last played for India in a Test in 2008.
While it must be observed that Gambhir has not scored a Test hundred in three years, Suresh Raina will expect a berth in the middle order along with Ajinkya Rahane.
