Jaffer cements his legacy, gives Vidarbha perfect New Year gift
NEWDELHI: Wasim Jaffer’s contribution in the Ranji Trophy is sensational. Jaffer, who played 31 Tests for India from 2000 to 2008, has over 10,000 runs and 36 centuries in Ranji Trophy.
The batsman’s consistency was hailed by former Indian cricket team skipper and teammate Sourav Ganguly in 2013, who called him “terrific” and “simply brilliant”.
When Jaffer left ‘home team’ Mumbai after 19 seasons, which included eight Ranji Trophy triumphs, for Vidarbha, it appeared the end of his career was near.
However, at 39, Jaffer has played a part in a fresh high, helping Vidarbha clinch the title for the first time. He has a a 100 percent record of being part of the winning side in each of his nine finals.
Vidarbha’s fairytale run in the 2017-18 Ranji Trophy reflects Jaffer’s journey. Having arrived from Mumbai with coach Chandrakant Pandit, both brought the never-say-die cricket culture for which Mumbai are renowned.
And Jaffer also doubled up as mental conditioning coach for a set of players who had to be reminded that they should only think like winners all the time.
Against seven-time champions Delhi in the final, Jaffer stepped up to the plate. With Vidarbha trailing by 162 runs and three wickets down, he raised a 73-run stand fourth wicket stand. His 78 laid the base for Akshay Wadkar’s 133 that took the match away from Delhi.
Fittingly, it was Jaffer who sealed the title with three bound-
aries. Vidarbha became the seventh team to win the Ranji Trophy in their maiden final. Mumbai (1934-35), Nawanagar (now Saurashtra/1936-37), Hyderabad (1937-38), Maharashtra (1939-40), Baroda (1942-43) and Western India (1943-44) are the other teams.
Jaffer’s tally of 595 runs at an average of 54.09 in the Ranji season made him the fourth-highest run-getter for Vidarbha, after skipper and opener Faiz Fazal, San jay Ram a swam ya nd Ga ne sh Satish.