Exclusive | Happy That at 40 I Could Bat for 2 Days: Wasim Jaffer

A mammoth 286, and Wasim Jaffer has broken several records in the Irani Cup.

A mammoth 286, and Wasim Jaffer had broken several records while guiding Ranji Trophy champions Vidarbha to a first-innings total of 800 in the Irani Cup. The 40-year-old cricketer defied age to bat two whole days and help first-time Ranji champions win the cup by virtue of their massive first innings lead of 404 runs.

The Quint spoke to Jaffer, shortly after his knock during the Irani Cup, on how it was to reach the record-setting milestone.

286 in the Irani Cup, your highest score. How satisfying was this knock?

Very satisfying. I mean, at the start of the match my finger got injured, so I was in two minds whether I’d be able to play because I knew I won’t be able to field in the slip. But obviously, it being such a big game and after working so hard to win the Ranji, I didn’t want to miss it.

So, it’s very satisfying to be playing in my 12th Irani Trophy and then getting the highest score in the 12th match feels amazing. I’ve played so many games for Mumbai but only managed to win once – my first season of Iran Trophy. We lost so many games, but I feel very happy now.

En route your 286, you ticked past several milestones – highest score in the Irani Cup, highest score for Vidarbha, 18,000 first-class runs, 23,000 career runs. Yet, none of the milestones seem to affect your batting. How do you remain so focused?

The way I live my life, I don’t take things very seriously, to be honest. Milestones obviously makes you happy because you’ve worked so hard, but that’s not the be-all and end-all for me.

I remember when we had a team meeting, I said that on these kinds of tracks people get 100, and they get happy and throw their wicket away. We didn’t want to do that. I told the boys that this wicket is the one where you probably need to bat teams out of the match. And if somebody gets in, they need to make sure that they just don’t play for themselves, and instead carry on and get a big score for the team.

And I was actually the one who could do it. So, I was kind of happy that whatever I said, I could pull it off myself. We actually batted them out of the game, which I feel happy about. When I went in to bat, I knew that 400 or 500 is not going to be enough, we need more than that. Coach Chandrakant Pandit said he’s looking at 750 because Rest of India always has a very strong batting line-up and they’re used to getting double hundreds and triple hundreds.

So, I pushed myself not to throw my wicket away and not play any fancy shots. I liked the mental discipline part about this innings and I could manage to bat two days even at the age of 40, which I am happy about.

A little disappointed that you didn’t get the triple hundred?

Would have definitely been nice. But I have to be thankful that I managed to get this much. I can’t be greedy. Even if I’d get a century I would have been happy. I’ve scored double hundreds, 250, 280 – so I need to be thankful rather than feel bitter about not getting 300.

You’ve been part of so many Ranji Trophy events, yet this title with Vidarbha was the first time you scored the winning runs. How satisfying was it?

Very. When I left Mumbai in 2014, I don’t think I even imagined I would get to play a Ranji Trophy final. I came to Vidarbha to strengthen their side, bring that good culture, help the youngsters, and make their team stronger. But, I never believed that I could play the Ranji Trophy final again and win the championship, or probably play the Irani Trophy for Vidarbha.

So, it feels very sweet. Being complete outsiders, no one even gave us a chance at the start. But the way we have played and dominated throughout the season, gave me lot of satisfaction, a lot of delight.

Top run-getter in the Ranji Trophy, top run-getter in the Irani Cup – what else is there for Wasim to accomplish?

I don’t think I’m playing to achieve anything. It’s my own expectation and my own happiness that I look for. If I really like the way I bat in an innings or score runs, that gives me a lot happiness. For 18-19 years, I’ve tried to be the man that teams look to to score runs – be it Mumbai or any other team. If I’m batting well and getting runs against good attacks, it still gives me a lot of happiness.

Playing for India is not the be-all and end-all for me. I need to enjoy playing. I know that I don’t have many years left, probably one or two. And then I need to decide what I want to do, whether it’s commentary or coaching. I’ve got lots of years for that. So I try and enjoy as long as I can.

After playing for so many years for Mumbai, what were the challenges you faced when you entered the Vidarbha dressing room? In your own mind, what were the expectations you had?

First of all, you come out of your comfort zone. Sometimes when you play for your home state, you take some things for granted. You know the teammates, you know the selectors and all the other things as well. But when you come to the other state, everything is new. You’re staying away from home, you don’t know what the selectors think and obviously you need to perform.

But then you have to add value, try and help the youngsters which I was doing in Mumbai also. But it’s a completely different thing altogether. People look at you very differently, you have to fulfil the demands and expectations which people have from you. And then, obviously, you charge money to play professional cricket, so there is some responsibility which you have to come to terms with, perform well, add value in whatever way you can.

These are things which you don’t feel when you play for your home state. I feel it’s a totally different ballgame. But I am happy that I chose Vidarbha because I didn’t want to go in a place where I’m the only one scoring runs and the team members are not willing to learn and don’t aim to win the Ranji Trophy. I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed that culture.

So, I’m happy that I came here because they have a dream. They want their team to go up. They’ve brought in Chandrakant Pandit, and obviously Paras was there before. They have an academy which is very good. The Under-19 boys have done well, they won the Cooch Behar this year; the Under-23 guys are doing well, the Under-16 won last year, two or three guys played for India Under-19. So, they have a good cricketing culture. Coming into that kind of structure always feels nice.

Watching you bat feels like an artist at work. How do you make scoring runs so effortless?

I think it’s years and years of practice. Deep down, I have the desire to be the best that I can be. Whatever faults I have, even at this age, I try to correct if I can. Whether it’s technical, whether it’s mental. I want to become better all the time, and I strive to do that.

That’s why I’m still playing, still competing, still trying to stay fit, still add value to wherever I’m playing. And I’m enjoying it. I didn’t get to play for India since 2008 but coming down to Ranji Trophy, scoring runs, and helping the teammates has been fulfilling.

I don’t know much other than playing cricket. All my life I’ve played cricket and I’ve enjoyed it. That’s been the passion. Luckily, it’s also a job for me. Hopefully, I can carry on until I enjoy the sport and till my body permits.