Being constantly overlooked for national team hurt me, admits Parvez Rasool
Parvez Rasool shared that while he is disappointed about not getting enough chances in the national side, he doesn’t let that hamper his game. Rasool is satisfied with the fact that his tag of being the “first JK player to have represented India” inspires youngsters to keep going after their dream.
Jammu & Kashmir all-rounder Parvez Rasool hasn't had the best of journeys during his more-than-a-decade long cricketing career yet he never fails to encourage and inspire the youngsters of his conflict-ridden state, now two union territories. Rasool, who has been the face of J&K cricket for almost the entirety of his career, has been one of the more unfortunate talents who has gone unnoticed by the nation.
Rasool, after representing the country in an ODI in 2014, received his maiden T20I call up back in 2015 during the Zimbabwe tour but never made it to the playing XI in the series. Since then, he has represented India in a solitary T20I - against England in 2017 - and the off-spinner yet to get over the disappointment.
The 31-year-old has been piling up runs and wickets season after season only to go unnoticed but he carries on so as to encourage the youngsters. Rasool believes in leading with example and stated that it's what he strives to do season after season for J&K in the domestic circuit.
“I was hurt. In my debut tour to Zimbabwe in 2015, 14 of the 15 players in the squad got a game. I didn't. It was tough, but it wasn't like I was meant to be a passenger. I got there because I took wickets and runs prior to that in the Ranji Trophy,” Rasool told ESPN Cricinfo.
“I didn't lose my confidence, but it made me more determined to contribute. Again, I had a good follow-up season, got a game on the tour of Bangladesh on a flat wicket, where I dismissed Mushfiqur Rahim and Animal Haque. In 2016-17, I scored 629 runs and 38 wickets, and then got one game against England, where I dismissed Eoin Morgan.
“So yes, there's a sense I didn't get the chances I would've liked, but if I get bogged down, I can't set an example for the players here. I can't tell them to forget about selection and play freely if I personally feel low or disappointed.”
The all-rounder, however, is satisfied with the fact that the tag of being the first player from his state to represent India is inspiring the aspiring cricketers to work hard and go after their dreams.
“How I look at it is, it's nice to be the first player from Jammu & Kashmir to represent India. If I can use that tag to make a difference, that will make me happier. Bishan Bedi often said 'control the controllables'. It's really as simple as that.”
Rasool is currently leading the J&K side in the ongoing Ranji Trophy campaign and will be aiming to propel his side into the semi-finals, after finishing top of Elite Group C. J&K are currently playing against Karnataka in the quarter-final, with rain playing spoilsport in the first two days of the game.
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