'Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it…': Retired Indian player with 14,098 runs reveals his last wish which left unfulfilled

Recently retired Faiz Fazal, Vidarbha's veteran batter, expressed his disappointment over not having played Test cricket for Team India. He recognised the intense competition for a spot in the Indian squad, especially in the Test format. Fazal made his mark on the international stage in an ODI under the captaincy of MS Dhoni against Zimbabwe in 2016. In the series' concluding match, the left-hander contributed a solid 55 not out off 61 balls, playing a key role in India's comprehensive ten-wicket win.

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Despite this, Faiz Fazal reflected on his limited opportunities with the Indian team in a conversation with CricketNext. He expressed gratitude for his one-off ODI appearance but didn't hide his longing to have donned the Test whites for India, underscoring his ambition to play in the longer format of the game.

“When we won the game, I got a lot of appreciation from all around. Also, I was the only player in that team who didn’t have an IPL contract then. Still I got the chance to play white-ball,” Faiz Fazal told CricketNext.

 

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“But yes as a professional you feel bad and disappointed. I wanted to play Test format for India. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it to the Test side. The competition is really, very strong in India. There’s no jealousy or grudges but of course, as a professional, it’s disappointing. The other part to this is that competition should be there,” he added.

 

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Following his initial breakthrough, Fazal has not played for India in any capacity. The cricketer, hailing from Maharashtra, was a member of the Rajasthan Royals (RR) team in the IPL between 2009 and 2011, participating in a total of 12 matches and amassing 183 runs with an average of 18.30.

 

Faiz Fazal announces Retirement from Professional Cricket

After participating in Vidarbha's final group-stage game in the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy against Haryana, Faiz Fazal decided to retire from professional cricket. At 38, the opener concluded his impressive domestic career as Vidarbha's leading run-scorer in both first-class and List-A formats.

During the current Ranji season, Fazal managed to score only 56 runs in three matches at an average of 11.20, which included two instances of getting out without scoring. Under his leadership, Vidarbha clinched their first-ever Ranji Trophy in the 2017/18 season and successfully defended their title the following season. The veteran cricketer accumulated over 9,000 runs in 137 first-class games and more than 3,600 runs in 113 List-A matches. He stands out as the only player to have played in over 100 first-class matches for Vidarbha, achieving 34 centuries across different domestic cricket formats.

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