IPL-bound Shah still longs for Test future

England batsman Owais Shah, who was purchased by the Delhi Daredevils for US$ 275,000 in the second IPL auction, has said nothing will give him greater fulfillment than a secure career with England. Shah was speaking after he was omitted from the squad for the ongoing first Test against West Indies in Jamaica.

"We all want to play Test cricket because there is pride and honour playing for your country against another nation," Shah told AFP. "There's no feeling to beat it."

Shah began his England career in 2001 as an ODI specialist but has struggled to find a regular place in the side, playing 52 ODIs in that period. He had to wait another five years for his Test debut, but despite making an impression with an important 88, he has played only one more Test since.

He admitted his disappointment at not making the line-up for the Jamaica Test but vowed to win his place back, with the Ashes coming up at home this summer.

"The captain (Andrew Strauss) told me that it was a tough decision (to leave him out of the first Test), but that I was close and I have to keep knocking on the door," Shah said. "I'm only 30. I want to play for England in the near future and with the Ashes around the corner, I want to play Test cricket. I'm allowed a four-week period for the IPL, then I have to be back in England. Hopefully, I'll make the one-day squad."

He said he wasn't entirely surprised to see his England team-mate Ravi Bopara being auctioned off for US$ 450,000 by the Kings XI Punjab - exactly three times his base price - given his worth as an allrounder. Both are relatively inexperienced at the Test level but Bopara fetched a much higher bid, despite playing 19 fewer ODIs.

"His value is a lot more than mine because he is an allrounder," Shah said. "He's a good one-day player. He's played for England so good luck to him."

Bopara admitted he even feared being unsold at the auctions and didn't have too many expectations when the bidding started.

"I was just hoping that someone would bid for me at the base price of US$ 150,000. I was a little worried that I might be unsold," Bopara told the website cricketheroes.co.uk. "There was a period of ten seconds before the first bid came in but I was more than happy once that came in.

"When I looked at the TV and saw this bidding war going on for me it was quite exciting but I'm not letting it go to my head."