ICL rebels still harbour comeback hopes

NEW DELHI, November 17: Despite aligning with the rebel Indian cricket League, Pakistan opener Taufiq Umar and Indian all-rounder J P Yadav are still hopeful of making comebacks to their respective national sides.
The duo will play for Delhi Jets in the rebel Twenty20 championship to be held at Panchkula from November 30.
Umar told that he is still optimistic about playing for Pakistan but refused to comment whether he would follow the path taken by Mohammed Yousuf and ditch the breakaway league for the BCCI-backed Indian Premier League (IPL).
"They (PCB) accepted my resignation and did not say a thing. I told them that I would always be available to play for the national team," the left-hander, who last played for Pakistan in 2006, said.
Commenting on the on-going series between the two countries, he said, "India is playing very well at the moment and we need to put up a good show if we are to threaten them."
Umar said his most memorable moment against India was the semi-final match in the 2003 World Cup where they lost.
Meanwhile, veteran J P Yadav was highly critical of the BCCI's selection process.
"Even though I may not have stroked form in the past three years, I have performed well in the recent Duleep Trophy matches. I can't understand the criteria by which the Indian team is chosen," Yadav said.
Yadav told that he wanted to play again for India but not at the cost of his commitments with the ICL.
"I won't leave the ICL if the board asks me to do so. I am committed with them and would stick with them," said Yadav.
Coach of the Delhi Jets, Madan Lal on Saturday said, that he had no option but to join the league.
"I was jobless and when the ICL offered me to coach one of the teams and I seized this opportunity. Neither the BCCI nor did the DDCA approach me with any assignment," Lal said.
Speaking on the BCCI's sponsored IPL, he said the idea was conceptualised by the ICL but both the leagues will improve cricketing standards in the country.
Englishman Paul Nixon and member of Delhi Jets said his decision to commit himself to the ICL wouldn't disrupt his professional commitments with his English county side.