Farewell in Mumbai? I'm not Sachin Tendulkar: Wasim Jaffer

You must be leaving Mumbai with a heavy heart…
(It's a) Very different feeling to leave Mumbai after 19 years. It's a long time, almost two decades. It's a difficult situation and decision for me. I'll be known as a Mumbai player no matter wherever I play. Since 2008, I was getting a lot of offers. I thought this was a good time. There are a lot of youngsters coming through. At this stage of my career, I won't like a good youngster to sit out in place for me. It's about time to move on. I've got few seasons left in me. I want to challenge myself in different avenues. That's what made me decide about this.

Don't you feel MCA should have celebrated a player like you?
I can't say what they should have done. Since 2008, I was getting a lot of tempting offers, but I stuck to Mumbai. Because we both wanted each other. However, at the twilight of my career, I feel this is a good time for the team to rebuild and for me to have a new challenge. Sometimes when you play for your home state, you take things for granted, so I needed some motivation as well. Last year, I was out injured, and I saw the team do well without me. That probably made me take this decision.

Was this decision made in haste?
No, probably because the team did so well without me last season. So, I felt these youngsters need exposure. You see Karnataka, all their youngsters have played with each other for so many years. I am convinced that this team has a lot of potential. You can see it in the result last year. They played the Ranji semifinals without any star players. That shows the potential of the youngsters. And I wanted a challenge as well. To see where I am. I was getting tempted by the offers, and wanted a change.
It's a hard decision, not an easy decision. I'Il be always known as a Mumbai player. I am taking this decision with a very heavy heart. Winning the Ranji Trophy eight times is the best moment of my first class career.

What has changed in Mumbai cricket ever since you started playing two decades back?
Where I am now is because of Mumbai cricket. When I played first under Sachin Tendulkar, there were so many match-winners in that team. You only thought about winning. That was a different feeling. That's what I've learnt and enjoyed. Learning about my game, learning about personalities.

What is the difference between then and now?
The times have changed. Cricket has changed. I won't say the quality has changed. Cricket is played at a much faster pace. It's gone more attacking than what it was. People are not scared of playing shots. Quality of spin has definitely come down because of the shorter format. You don't see a classical spinner any more because of the shorter format. The batsmen aren't scared of playing shots as well which wasn't the case when I came in. We always thought of play along the ground, build an innings for one-one-and-half-days. That's a big difference. The 'speedometer' has encouraged bowlers to bowl faster. Swing bowling has come down a bit.

What excites you about Vidarbha?
They've got a very good set-up. Their players are low-profile, and they genuinely want to improve. That's why they always sign players who can come and help them. One thing was always there in my mind. If I've to move somewhere, I'll go where I'm needed. And where I can make a difference. Not just by scoring runs but by helping youngsters. I didn't want to go to a team which only wants me to score runs and not be bothered about their team. If I can make an effort and help them grow their cricket, I'll be happy.

Any moment that scared you the most?
When we were close to losing to Gujarat in 2010-11, they were 400 for 2 chasing 600, after Rohit Sharma had scored a triple hundred. People were calling me saying that they didn't want Mumbai losing to Gujarat in my lifetime. That actually scared me, because I was the captain then, and I didn't want this to go in my record! That was scary to even think of. Eventually, we won by first innings. Even the year before, when we beat Gujarat in Valsad. I happened to be the captain in a do-or-die moment. The J&K loss was the lowest point while playing for Mumbai.

Which is your most memorable knock for Mumbai?
My first triple hundred. That team was full of stalwarts — Sanjay Manjrekar was the captain. I hadn't made runs in the first innings. If I failed again, I would've been dropped. The knock took a lot of weight off my shoulders. It stabilised my place in the side, cemented it. It was my first big knock. The last hundred in a Ranji final was satisfying. That wicket was so tricky. We went onto win. In 2003, 98 against TN in Chennai, which came in a pressure situation.

What did playing for Mumbai mean to you?
It was pure joy to play for Mumbai. Playing alongside my friends since U-16 days. The mentality to play to win came from the National Club as well. We won six consecutive Kanga League titles. That mentality helped me a lot. That changed me a lot as a cricketer. That's what I tried telling the juniors in the team as a senior. Mumbai is all about winning. When you come as a youngster in the Mumbai, you only think about winning the Ranji Trophy. That's what I instilled in the youngsters. And I hope they think in the same way because Mumbai is all about winning the trophies. No matter what the situation, you need to find a way to win.

You were shy and hardly spoke in the initial phase of your career. But you are different man after two decades…
When I started playing for Mumbai, it was that kind of dressing room where you can't say much. I learned my way, made friends I could speak to. It was a gradually a transformation where you learn about the game, about your personality. It was a process becoming a cricketer a better human being. Being in the Mumbai dressing room, helped me. Not just in cricket but overall.

A player like you could have signed out from Mumbai in style with a fan fare or a high profile press conference. But you chose to keep it a low profile?
I have grown up like that. I came from a humble background. My father was a BEST driver, came up through a very hard way. Glamour was never my way of life, Even when I played for India, I was never a glamorous or an outgoing person. I always was an introvert, reserved and stayed within my room, watch TV and did not party. Probably my upbringing has a lot of say in this. I somehow managed to keep that intact. And I am still like that and I am happy about it to be honest. Never regretted it. I think there are so many ups and downs in life and you need to stay grounded. My upbringing has helped me through that.

So it was the cricket field where you chose to express yourself?
I tried to.

The 2012 was dream season where you were back in contention in Indian Test squad as openers were not doing well. Were you disappointed when you were not picked?
I don't know I never tried to find out the reason. This isn't the only time this happened to me but has happened quite a few times. To be honest I don't blame anyone. I believe in destiny. My mantra has always been to work hard and then whatever happens happens. I take it the way it comes. Obviously, it upsets you when it happens but if you ask me, whatever I have played, I have been fortunate to play for India. Especially, looking at what I started with. So I need to be thankful rather than bitter about it.

How did you overcome the disappointment?
By scoring runs. Wherever I am playing wanted to play for India, wherever you are playing but certain things are out of your control. Probably it was the closes chance that I came to be picked. Even in 2008 I scored about 2000 runs when I became the captain for Mumbai. We won the Ranji, we won the Duleep. Highest probably runs in Ranji trophy that season and i was ignored. i don't blame anyone to be honest.

Will it be awkward to face Mumbai?
It will be awkward obviously. I have faced them (Mumbai teammates) in different Corporate and club games. Playing against them for a state will obviously be different.

What is your message for the youngsters of Mumbai?
My message would be first that you are playing for Mumbai and you don't need to be taught what you have to do. There is so much legacy that we know that we have won. It's difficult these days because other teams are becoming good. They will have to work more hard to get back on that level. I think when you play for Mumbai winning is everything. The more quickly they understand it is good and that is how they should play. They should know that Mumbai cricket is different and they will have to play on that level. They need to realise and I am sure they must have been told but they need to understand. The 40 ranji trophies that we won, the 41st have to be this year and not 5-6 years later.

Didn't you long for a farewell from Mumbai, the state you have served for two decades?
I think I am not Sachin Tendulkar to be honest. I never thought that I will play for some other state. I believed I will finish my career in Mumbai. But the situation came so why not. There is no rule that you have to play in Mumbai.