Cricket Twitter’s ultimate entertainer, New Zealand all-rounder James Neesham, once again came up with a hilarious reply to a fan, this time taking a sly dig at his IPL franchise, Rajasthan Royals.
A fan on the microblogging website made a query to James Neesham that his performances and numbers in international cricket for the Black Caps are in contrast with those in the IPL having played in four different seasons with four different teams.
“Why dont you perform in IPL like you perform in International games,” a fan commented under his post.
Neesham is a key member of New Zealand’s white-ball teams – having played 71 ODIs and 48 T20Is; he was also trusted to bat in the 2019 WC final Super over and hit Archer for a six as well – however, his numbers in the IPL don’t justify his talent and abilities: 14 matches, 92 runs with a best of 22 and 8 wickets at an average of 41 while leaking at more than 9 runs an over.
Perhaps irked by this fact being pointed out to him, James Neesham came back with an amusing but also striking reply: “I probably wouldn’t perform well in international cricket either if I played one game a year.”
Here, check out Neesham’s reply:
I probably wouldn’t perform well in international cricket either if I played one game a year 😂 https://t.co/Yf8DELsYur
— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) September 15, 2022
And, while James Neesham has a point – that he’s not got a consistent run of a number of games in the IPL, he’s failed to make it count in the given opportunities.
In the IPL 2022, playing for RR, he featured in two matches, in which he’ scored 31 runs at a strike rate of 114.
In 2021, he played two innings for MI, and was dismissed for ducks in both his knocks. And before that, in IPL 2020, for Punjab, the left-handed batter scored 19 runs in 3 innings at a strike rate of 105.
After many fans ridiculed him for taking a dig at RR, James Neesham tweeted his explanation:
“Also… everyone trying to act like this tweet is bodying someone or trolling someone. Literally everybody in elite sport knows continuity of role is important. It’s just sometimes the situation doesn’t allow it and players just have to try to make do. Its nobody’s fault,” James Neesham explained himself.
Also… everyone trying to act like this tweet is bodying someone or trolling someone 🙄. Literally everybody in elite sport knows continuity of role is important. It’s just sometimes the situation doesn’t allow it and players just have to try to make do. Its nobody’s fault 🤷♂️
— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) September 15, 2022
James Neesham declines New Zealand contract
Jimmy Neesham has declined a New Zealand central contract. He explained in his Instagram story that he’s not choosing money from T20 franchises over playing for New Zealand, but he’d committed to the franchises after he’d not been handed a NZC contract back in July.
“I know the news of my decision to decline a central contract today will be seen as me choosing money over representing my country,” Neesham posted on an Instagram story. “I had planned to accept a contract offer in July, however since being left off the list I have committed to other leagues around the world. It was a difficult decision but I have decided to honour those commitments rather than go back on my word to re-sign with NZ Cricket.
“Playing for the [Blackcaps] has been the greatest honour of my career and I remain committed to taking the field with my countrymen for the foreseeable future, especially in pinnacle world events.”
