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Wasim Jaffer urges young cricketers to inculcate T20 skills in their game

Wasim Jaffer is the all-time leading run-scorer in Ranji Trophy

Wasim Jaffer's name is synonymous with Indian first-class cricket. With more than 11,000 runs to his tally, he is the leading run-scorer in the history of Ranji Trophy. He also played 31 Tests for India and amassed 1944 runs at the highest level.

However, Jaffer has cautioned young cricketers against modelling their game on technically-accomplished players like himself as well as the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane. Instead, the veteran opener has urged aspiring cricketers to hone their T20 skills in order to get noticed through the IPL pathway.

"It would be foolish for any young cricketer to follow us (himself, Pujara and Rahane). We played in a time where there was hardly any T20 cricket, but nowadays there is so much T20 cricket. They might play like us, but they need to have T20 skills in them also", Jaffer told rediff.com.

The stalwart added, "They know if they don't play the IPL, they won't get too far. The IPL gives them the benchmark for them to get picked for the Indian team. You can't blame them because you need to have T20 skills otherwise you are not going to play too much cricket."