"Faiz Fazal deserved to play more matches for India": Chandrakant Pandit

Faiz Fazal, Vidarbha's most successful captain, announced his retirement from domestic cricket on Sunday, February 18. Day 4 (Monday) of the ongoing Ranji Trophy match against Haryana at the VCA Civil Lines Stadium in Nagpur, will be his final day at the domestic level.

Meanwhile, former Vidarbha coach Chandrakant Pandit, who along with Fazal guided Vidarbha to their twin title triumphs in the Ranji Trophy and Irani Cup, stated that the latter should have received more opportunities to play for the national side. The coach also praised the batter's slip fielding abilities.

"He has been an outstanding player. His technique was impeccable. He was a very good slip fielder. He deserved to play more matches for India," Pandit told TOI.

"During the three years I was Vidarbha coach, he always used to say that he wanted to play for India. It kept him motivated. After suffering the knee injury, he went under the knife for the same, maybe his body wasn't supporting him, so he called it a day," he added.

Read more: Vidarbha’s Ranji Trophy winning skipper Faiz Fazal draws curtains on 21-year cricket career

The 62-year-old further stated that Fazal has become a role model for the next generation of Vidarbha cricketers. 

"Apart from serving Vidarbha cricket with distinction, Faiz has been a perfect role model for young Vidarbha players. He is a humble, down to earth human being," Pandit said.

Pandit further recalled his stint with Vidarbha, stating that Fazal's finest knock came against Maharashtra where he faced 324 balls and scored 131 runs. He added that the 38-year-old was always ready to go the extra mile for his team and never complained about anything.

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"After shifting to Madhya Pradesh as coach, I used to tell players here about that knock of Faiz. It was a top-quality knock. Him having zero ego made my job as a coach much easier. I remember calling him late in the night, sometimes at 11 pm, to discuss team strategy. He used to drive from his home to my place and patiently listen to me. He never complained about it. He has made immense contributions to Vidarbha cricket as captain and player. Vidarbha cricket should always remember his services," Pandit concluded.