'I doubt if players enjoy Twenty20 cricket'

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Wasim Jaffer has been around for a while now but has yet to cement his place in India's Test squad. HT caught up with the player on the sidelines of the Sahara BCCI Corporate Trophy where is leading the Indian Oil team, reports Anam Arsalan. More... 'I doubt if players enjoy Twenty20 cricket' Anam Arsalan, Hindustan Times Dharamsala, September 03, 2009 First Published: 23:51 IST(3/9/2009) Last Updated: 23:55 IST(3/9/2009) Wasim Jaffer has been around for a while now but has yet to cement his place in India's Test squad. Ironically, though, he has often been regarded as one of the best players in the country in the longest version of the game and yet finds himself on the fringes of selection. But, what's worse is that the 'tag' of being a fine Test player has denied him a place in the other formats as well. HT caught up with the player on the sidelines of the Sahara BCCI Corporate Trophy where is leading the Indian Oil team. Excerpts On the Corporate Trophy I think it is a very good move by the Board. The corporates used to play in their own zones. Then there are not many opportunities for players to get a good job these days, so this might even generate jobs for players. Added to that, this is the start of season, so this tournament offers good match practice. On the advent of T20s I have my doubts if players really enjoy playing T20s, it's the public that enjoys watching it and that brings in the money. But, I suppose, Tests still stay as the main event for them to perform. But since the T20 brings in money with it, the format is welcoming. On being regarded as one of the finest Test players in the country I won't say that I particularly like that tag. Obviously, Test cricket is the best and you do like to perform in it, and I have done that in the past. But, just because I have scored runs in Tests doesn't mean I can't score runs in a one-day or T20 match. I have performed well in one-dayers in the domestic circuit. I played well in the Deodhar Trophy, scored a hundred in the final and then even scored a couple of 50s in the first IPL. I don't think it is right to categorise a player in strict compartments. If a player is good, he is good in all formats. Maybe it is because of this tag I am not getting enough opportunities in the shorter versions. On the present cricket calendar There is a lot of cricket happening today. The people and sponsors both want more T20 matches, so there are a more matches happening in a short space of time. From a player's perspective, I think it's important to adapt to all formats. Today's players can adapt better than the players of the past as T20s weren't there and even ODIs were few. On older players performing in the IPL If you have scored runs in Tests than you should be able to adapt to all formats of the game. And it showed in the IPL in South Africa, in tougher conditions, where wickets were doing a bit, players around the age of 35 came good. It showed that good technique and experience matters. On his plans to stage a comeback I scored about 1260 runs in the last Ranji Trophy and overall I scored 2000 runs in the last calendar year. This is all that I can do. I don't think the selectors have noticed that I have scored so many runs. I think I will have to do that again and make them realise that I am around.

[Online]

:hysterical:

[kabira]

Mr. Jaffer please do not generalize. If you do not like 20-20 so be it. don't generalize

[vvvslaxman]

I am not a fan of Jaffer. But he is not far from the truth. How many overs you play in an inter college tournament. Definitely more than 20 overs isn't it? It is more like 25 plus. You would expect international cricketer to like longer versions than 20 over gully Cricket.

[Desi Cartman]

I think he is right. Do you actually think that guys like Dravid , SRT enjoy T20. I think most players would love t20 if they played say 10-12 games a year but these days they are playing far more than that. Its more like circus coming to town where these players perform.

[Mr. Wicket]

Mr. Jaffer please do not generalize. If you do not like 20-20 so be it. don't generalize

How do you know he's generalizing? In his case he's actually played it, played alongside plenty of int'l names who take part in both domestic leagues and the IPL and certainly would have a better insight to their views than some idiot on a message board who barely pays attention to the game beyond the national team and the IPL. Or did you suddenly develop mindreading capabilities to deduce when someone is BSing and when someone is generalizing?

[jf1gp_1]

dont know about batsman but cant see how bowlers enjoy T20 specially fast bowlers so much effort for so little or no return

[yoda]

Players probably don't enjoy it as much as the other formats they are used to because it is new for them, doesn't give them enough time to settle down and shine. But there is no doubt that it is here to stay and I am inclined to say that the newer players who will be exposed to it earlier in their careers will cherish it.

[vvvslaxman]

Players probably don't enjoy it as much as the other formats they are used to because it is new for them' date=' doesn't give them enough time to settle down and shine. But there is no doubt that it is here to stay and I am inclined to say that the newer players who will be exposed to it earlier in their careers will cherish it.[/quote'] Cricketers are used to pretty much all formats right from the childhood days. We play 5 over game in our backyard, Then 10 overs, 12 overs, 15 overs, 20 overs, 25 overs. But as you grow older you will love to play in a match which has more over not less overs. You hardly get a chance to bat. When you get you invariably end up playing in a situation where you have to employ wild slogs from the get go. Even in the nets you would love to bat more balls than others.Sidhu would usually practice for hours in the nets. It is such an addictive game when you play it. We should not forget most of the cricketers play cricket for the love of the game not for the love of the money.

[kabira]

How do you know he's generalizing? In his case he's actually played it' date=' played alongside plenty of int'l names who take part in both domestic leagues and the IPL and certainly would have a better insight to their views than some idiot on a message board who barely pays attention to the game beyond the national team and the IPL. Or did you suddenly develop mindreading capabilities to deduce when someone is BSing and when someone is generalizing? [/quote'] well if 49% (just random number) dont like and 51% like it and then coming out with the comments that most players don't like it for me thats generalizing. Moreover Sachin was desperate to play 20-20 and tried his best to play games in first IPL when he was not fully fit. Same with Dravid. in 2nd IPL he enjoyed it and was team's top scorer. Do you think they did that so that they can make money?? Yes most people would love to play Tests as thats what will set them apart. But generalizing that players don't like/enjoy T20 is for gross generalization.

[hitman1980]

Players who don't enjoy t20 r those who know they can't play t20

[Cricketics]

He just said one line about it and people make a news out of it. "Will continue to work hard to get back into the team" would have been an ideal headline to this rather than crappy "I doubt if players enjoy 2020 Cricket." and then people on this board fall for such headlines. He has now way exxagerated on that line of his. He just said one line when asked about it and continued answering other questions.