Never lost my swing, just that my role in the team had changed, reveals Irfan Pathan

Pathan featured in 29 Tests, 120 ODIs and 24 T20Is for India scoring close to 3000 runs and picking up over 300 international wickets. The 35-year-old, who announced his retirement on Saturday, made his last appearance for India in 2012 when he was only 27 years old — the age “most players start their India career.” 

The left-arm pacer, who was known for his swing bowling, had been at the centre of much discussion during the controversial period for Indian cricket under Greg Chappell.

"All these discussions…people talking about Greg Chappell they are just covering up. (The discussion that) Irfan was not interested, it was coming from somewhere. All the aura they made that Irfan lost his swing, people need to understand, that you are not going to get the same kind of swing that you get in 10 overs. I was still getting the swing," Pathan told PTI.

"People talk about my performance, but my job was different. I was given the job to contain because I was bowling first change. I had been told this is your job. I remember getting dropped after winning the game in Sri Lanka in 2008, who gets dropped after winning the game for the country without any reason?" Pathan added.