NEW DELHI – Out-of-favour Indian batsman Robin Uthappa has given up the funky haircuts to get back on the national team and said he would gladly give up his $2 million Indian Premier League (IPL) cheque if it were to help the cause. The 25-year-old batsman played the last of his 38 one-day internationals in July 2008 but remains hot property among the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises for his fearless power-hitting and wicket-keeping.
Uthappa hopes to shine for IPL newcomers Pune Warriors, who paid $2.1 million for him in the player auctions, but his main goal is to use the Twenty20 tournament as a springboard to force an India recall. “I would do anything to play for the country,” Uthappa told Reuters in a telephone interview. “Swapping the cheque would be a very easy thing to do, with my eyes closed. Coming back to the Indian team is the most important thing for me.”
“Unfortunately because of a shoulder injury, I missed an India comeback last year. God willing, if I can better my IPL performance this year, I can certainly come back in the side. “I missed playing for the country in the last couple of years but I think I have improved a lot as a cricketer. “I have grown up and matured over the time and realised cricket is lot more than just fancy haircuts. Call it a sign of maturity,” he quipped.
