"I was probably lacking that impact"- Faiz Fazal on not getting enough gametime in the IPL

Former Indian cricketer Faiz Fazal has accepted that one of the reasons he didn't get game time with the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the IPL was the lack of impact that he had in his performances.

Across the 2010 and 2011 editions of the tournament, Fazal played just 12 games and scored 183 runs at a modest average of 18.3 and a strike rate of 105.78. He also ended up playing just one ODI for India, where he scored 55* against Zimbabwe in 2016.

Speaking to CricketNext, here's what Faiz Fazal had to say about his IPL career:

"I played 10-11 matches first up and then didn’t get any game in the next one. There were IPL awards in that year. So, I was in the nominations for the best debutant. I guess there’s this trend of having players who bring in impact. I was probably lacking that impact. Ofcourse, I was lacking something. That’s why I wasn’t picked."

Over the past few years, IPL has become a serious launchpad for budding cricketers to get fast-tracked into the Indian team. Fazal's lack of success in the IPL possibly affected his chances of making more than just the solitary India appearance.

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Faiz Fazal on importance of red-ball cricket

Faiz Fazal has played 138 first-class games and has scored a staggering 9,184 runs at an average of 41. He loves the longest format of the game and believes it is a great move that the BCCI are looking to make participation in the Ranji Trophy a criteria for featuring in the IPL.

On this, he stated:

"That’s such a healthy thing for Indian cricket. The players who are a part of IPL are really very good. If these players play domestic cricket, it would help Indian cricket. I think this decision by BCCI is very good."

He added:

"The charm that Ranji Trophy, red-ball cricket, Test cricket has that’s just different and amazing. I’m still so emotional that I will miss playing red-ball cricket. The kind of pressure an opening batsman has while facing a new ball is just different. I would really wish and pray that the youngsters give importance to FC cricket."

Faiz Fazal isn't featuring in the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2023/24 semi-final for Vidarbha against Madhya Pradesh as he hung his boots after his team's final group phase game against Jammu and Kashmir.