Sheldon Jackson is one of the players to watch out for in the upcoming Indian domestic season after shifting his base to Puducherry from Saurashtra.
Despite playing a key role in Saurashtra's maiden Ranji Trophy triumph in the season gone by, Jackson could not attract the national selectors' attention and he is now hoping that piling up big runs for the "much smaller" team would fetch him more eyeballs.
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The right-hander aggregated 809 runs in the 2019-20 Ranji season while he made 856 runs in the 2018-19 edition of the first-class competition. However, the 33-year-old Jackson was overlooked for India ‘A’ selection.
"This is the first step for me to start playing professionally. If I do well, the money will follow. This year I have not looked at too much money. If I do well, I am sure many doors will open up," Jackson told PTI when asked if money was the main reason for the move.
He will be Puducherry's guest player for the upcoming season alongside Paras Dogra and Pankaj Singh.
"We were in talks for the past six months. It was a tough call but you can't add emotion to your profession and it is not as if you are leaving home forever.
"You are going for a certain period. I am certainly emotional leaving my friends behind and want to thank the Shah family (Niranjan Shah and son Jaydev Shah) for giving me the opportunity to play for Saurashtra. Even now, I am leaving on very good terms," he said.
Jackson plied his trade for India ‘A’ last time in 2016. He questioned the national selectors last year for not picking any Saurashtra player in the India ‘A’ side and Duleep Trophy despite the team's consistent run in the Ranji Trophy.
Jackson said he doesn't think about the selectors' mindset anymore and focusses solely on performing well.
"A lot of people have been asking me that (I have made it tougher for myself by moving to a smaller team). I believe, if I score for a small team like Puducherry, It will get more noticed than my performances for Saurashtra where others are also scoring big runs like me consistently.
"I am looking at it that way. And if the team qualifies for the knock-outs, you (as a senior player) are bound to more credit.
"Also, I don't think about the selectors' point of view anymore because I tried to for a period of time but nothing happened."
(With PTI inputs)
