Representing your country remains the ultimate dream of any athlete. So is the case with India cricketers who have to go through the grind of domestic cricket to first prove their credentials and then churn out eye-catching performances season after season before the selectors even consider their name. The competition for a single spot in the national squad is intense and unfortunately the tale of many a talented players never getting a call-up are plenty.
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One doesn’t have to look too far in history for examples though. Amol Muzumdar, a domestic stalwart, retired having never represented India despite scoring truckloads of runs year after year.
Muzumdar is just one of many who waited/continue to wait to realise their India dream. Among them is Sheldon Jackson who represents Saurashtra in domestic cricket.
Jackson has scored 5947 runs in 79 first-class matches at an outstanding average of 50.39 including 19 centuries and 31 half-centuries. The wicketkeeper-batter has been a consistent performer but is still waiting for his maiden India call-up.
In an interview with SportskeedaJackson, 35, reveals he once put up the question on why he was being continuously overlooked by the BCCI selectors and received a stunning response – You are old.
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“To be honest, this has not happened just this year, it has been happening since the beginning. The amount of runs and the rate at which I got them; I don’t think many in the country have. If you see 75 matches and around 6000 runs, that shows what I have achieved through my hard work,” Jackson told the portal.
“There has been no communication (on his non-selection) but once I asked someone what more I need to do, I was told I am old. They told me that above 30, we are not picking anyone. But ultimately, after a year, they picked someone who was around 32-33. I was very vocal that is there any law that once you’re above 30, 35 or even 40 you cannot get picked? Then why don’t you come out with a law itself?” he added.
Naturally, it has affected Jackson but he instead is using it as a fuel to keep his India dream alive. “It is very difficult because year in and year out, you’re putting in the hard yards, being consistent, because Indian domestic cricket is so difficult, to be consistent over there year in year out. But that is the motivation for me. The more I don’t get picked, the more I get determined to do it again. Not to prove people, but to prove it to myself that I still have the hunger in me.” he said.
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