"Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it..." - Faiz Fazal disappointed at not playing Test cricket for India

Vidarbha’s veteran opener, Faiz Fazal, recently expressed his disappointment at not representing the India national cricket team in Test matches. However, Faiz Fazal acknowledged the tough competition within Indian cricket to earn a spot in the red-ball format.

Faiz Fazal made his international debut for India under MS Dhoni’s captaincy in an ODI match against Zimbabwe in 2016. In the final game of the series, the left-handed batter scored an unbeaten 55 runs from 61 deliveries, helping India secure a ten-wicket victory.

Still, I Got The Chance To Play White-Ball – Faiz Fazal

In a conversation with CricketNext, Faiz Fazal shared his mixed emotions about having played only one game for India, despite receiving appreciation for his performance. Fazal emphasized that he wanted to represent the national team in Test cricket.

“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.

“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 ofcourse, as a professional, it’s disappointing. The other part to this is that competition should be there,” he added.

Despite his early success, Fazal has not represented India in any format since then. The Maharashtra-born cricketer was part of the Rajasthan Royals (RR) squad in the IPL from 2009 to 2011, playing a total of 12 matches and scoring 183 runs at an average of 18.30.

Faiz Fazal Announced Retirement From Professional Cricket

Faiz Fazal bid farewell to professional cricket after Vidarbha’s last group stage match in the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy against Haryana. The 38-year-old opening batter ended his remarkable domestic career as Vidarbha’s top run-scorer in both first-class and List-A cricket.

In the ongoing Ranji season, Fazal scored just 56 runs across three matches, with an average of 11.20, including two ducks. Fazal led Vidarbha to their maiden Ranji Trophy victory in the 2017/18 season and led them to defend the title in the subsequent season.

The 38-year-old amassed more than 9,000 runs in 137 first-class matches and over 3,600 runs in 113 List-A encounters. He is the only player to feature in over 100 red-ball fixtures for Vidarbha. He notched up 34 centuries across various formats in domestic cricket.

“Tomorrow marks the end of an era as I step onto the Nagpur ground for the last time, where my journey in first-class cricket began 21 incredible years ago. It’s been an unforgettable ride, filled with cherished memories that I’ll hold dear forever. Representing both the Indian Cricket Team and Vidarbha has been the greatest honor of my life, and donning those cricket jerseys has always filled me with immense pride,” Faiz Fazal wrote on his official Instagram handle.

“Farewell to my beloved Number 24 jersey – you’ll be deeply missed. As one chapter closes, another awaits, and while bidding adieu to my professional cricket career fills me with mixed emotions, I’m eagerly looking forward to embracing the new adventures that lie ahead,” he added.

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