Karachi: Pakistani leg-spinner Danish Kaneria cannot hide his disappointment at not being part of the Indian Premier League (IPL) razzmatazz and he insists it's not only the lure of moolah but also the stature that makes it a blue ribbon event.

The 27-year old told PTI in an interview that it was frustrating to watch other leg-spinners like Shane Warne, Anil Kumble and Piyush Chawla playing in the IPL, while he was cooling his heels in the sidelines.

"It is not about the money really. But one does want to be involved in such a high profile event. I was surprised when I was not approached for the event. Because spinners do have a big role to play in Twenty20 cricket," he said.

Analysing the performance of the spinners so far in the tournament, Kaneria said, "You watch and you see that Chawla is the most successful spinner in the event because he gives air and turns the ball. Warne and Kumble are pushing the ball through and it makes it easier for the batsmen to go after them. It helps their timing."

Kaneria dispelled the impression that Twenty20 cricket was not for spinners.

"Look, any bowler who has experience of bowling a lot in Test cricket can be successful in Twenty20 cricket. Too much stress is being laid on bits and pieces players and most of the time you see they go for a lot of runs. A Test spinner has the confidence and temperament to also do well in Twenty20 cricket," he added.

Talking about himself, the leg-spinner said, "For the time being I am just training and watching the IPL games on television when I get a chance. Some of the games have been great and I would love to be out there in the middle of the action," he said.

Kaneria leaves on May 18 for a full season with Essex, disappointed that even the national selectors don't consider him good enough for limited overs cricket.

 

 

Source : PTI