‘I didn’t expect to be back’

Life has taken a U-turn for opener Astle. The dashing bat lost hopes of a comeback and bid...

Life has taken a U-turn for opener Astle. The dashing bat lost hopes of a comeback and bid goodbye to international cricket just six weeks before 2007 World Cup. The 36-year-old was happy spending time with his family.

“Frankly speaking, I didn’t expect to be back,” he said, after his first session with his side Mumbai Champs at the Western Railway ground. “Once I gave it up, it was pretty much the end of my career. I played a bit in England and when this opportunity came, I asked myself can I offer them something?” He

will have Brian Lara for company in the team.

Astle marked his presence on Day One of the ten-day training camp. Lara and Solanki are yet to arrive.

For record, Astle has played 22 international Twenty20 matches.

Story continues below this ad

For a world record holder of scoring fastest double century in Test cricket, the ICL league may not give him the same ambience he had experienced at the international stage. However, his presence itself would mean a learning experience for the others in the side.

“Hopefully I won’t have to do a lot of bowling. Done and dusted, it is a nice game but T20 is a very funny game,” he quipped.