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Jadeja back without playing a match

Last updated on: July 12, 2004 15:47 IST

Ajay Jadeja, one of the three Indian cricketers who had gone to the USA to take part in the American Pro League, has returned without playing a match.

Jadeja, who is rebuilding his career as a cricketer after a court battle with the Cricket Board over match-fixing allegations, said he was invited to play in the APC alongwith Nikhil Chopra and Vijay Dahiya, but decided against it on learning that the International cricket Council did not approve of it.

"Nobody was sure what to do. Some reports appeared here that ICC does not recognise the event, so we came back," said the flamboyant batsman.

The APC league, scheduled to be played in different cities over two months, is aimed at promoting cricket in the baseball-dominated USA.

"We will wait and watch what BCCI has to say in the matter," he said when asked whether he had received any feedback from BCCI after his comeback.

"We are cricketers and we play if someone invites us for the game," he said.

Asked if he was still hopeful of a comeback to the national team, he said, "a comeback is always hard, it's easy to get in when you are fresh. But a new season is around the corner and I will train myself for it."

"I have enjoyed cricket since childhood, I still enjoy the game and would continue to play. Who knows, I might get a chance," Jadeja said.

Jadeja felt that the prospect of the Indian team winning the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka was "very good."

"We have done well recently and I hope we continue to perform well."

However, he does not believe that the present team was the best.

"Sport is all about the day of the game and anybody can have a bad day. We have got some good players who are performing well and were not there just a few months back. So you are never sure of anything in cricket," he said adding that the 1983 team, that surprised everyone by winning the World Cup, was his favourite.

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