Valthaty must do more for Ranji call-up - Jaffer

Paul Valthaty has done his reputation no harm in the IPL, but he has more to do before he can get a call-up to the Mumbai Ranji team, Mumbai captain Wasim Jaffer has said.

"This performance [in the IPL] will help him. He has made those runs against quality bowling and I'm sure the selectors will keep that in mind," Jaffer told the Times of India. "However, you can't judge someone for first-class cricket based on performance in Twenty20 games.

"It's a different format. He has to do well in tournaments like the Times Shield [in which Valthaty plays for Air India] and prove himself."

Labelling Valthaty 'talented', Jaffer said the injury he suffered below his eye during the Under-19 World Cup in 2002 and inconsistency have set him back. "He was a good cricketer at the U-19 level. Unfortunately, he suffered an injury and then had a few lean years, when he was in and out of Mumbai teams.

"He has always played the odd remarkable innings in the Times Shield, but then would have a lean run. He was very inconsistent. However, with age people do mature and he has become better."

Valthaty grabbed the national spotlight by powering Kings XI Punjab home in a big chase against Chennai Super Kings with a blistering century on April 13. Since then, he has been trading places at the top of the IPL's leading run-scorers' table. However, he hasn't played first-class cricket and has represnted Mumbai in one List A game.

Jaffer - who played his last international match in April 2008 and has had a good run in the 2010-2011 Ranji Trophy averaging 80.88 - also said he is "hopeful" of breaking into India's Test team, should the seniors choose to take a break during the tour of West Indies this summer.