Irfan Pathan: It’s the performance that is talked about now and not the age
Former Indian pacer Irfan Pathan believes that strong domestic performances are getting more reward now irrespective of the age of the players, which is a good sign for veterans like him. The Baroda all-rounder has also said that he is taking inspiration from Ashish Nehra's comeback.
In the early 2000s, when India was striving for a proper pace-bowling all-rounder, teenager Irfan Pathan had burst onto the scene and mesmerised the Indian fans though his accurate swing. He doubled up as a more than capable batsman to steer the team from bad positions to safety. However, it was the injury concerns that proved detrimental to his career, forcing him to spend more time in the rehab process than at the nets.
Now after a decent Ranji Trophy season for Baroda, he is harbouring hopes of a comeback to the national team. The comeback of many veterans to the team has also added to his confidence.
Pathan, in an exclusive interview with the Times of India, said, “It's like a shining light for players like me. The way seniors are getting picked up after performing well in the domestic cricket, it gives a strong message that it's performance that is talked about and not the age. Gautam (Gambhir) was picked after he did well in Duleep Trophy. Parthiv (Patel) made a brilliant comeback. Yuvraj's (Singh) strong domestic performances were rewarded. Virat (Kohli) is aggressive captain and supportive captain.Â
“What Ashish Nehra has done is inspirational! It's a general trend to point a finger on a player when he crosses 30. People think he has passed his best phase. If you see different countries, players are playing even after 40. Brad Hogg and Brad Hodge are prime examples. Ashish has given the message that it's all about keeping yourself fit and performing well. It should always be about fitness and form instead of age. He is an inspiration to somebody like me who still wants to play at the top level. When you have played so much of cricket in different conditions, you get more experienced.”
Irfan, who is now playing the Syed Mushtaq Ali Inter-zonal T20 in Mumbai, added, “I am somebody who never thinks of comebacks. I want to play again that's why I am still playing domestic cricket. However, I don't want to put myself under pressure. I had made a comeback in 2012. I did well. I am still optimistic about doing well at the top level.
Starting from being a night-watchman to opening the innings many a time, Pathan had added a lot of value to the Indian team. Of late, though, his batting form has dwindled and he is batting in the lower order to give more chances to the youngsters.
“Whenever I get the opportunity to bat up the order I do it. As a senior player, it's important to lead from the front and show the way to youngsters. If you bat with youngsters in the middle, you can guide them better. I have batted up the order in different formats for Baroda. It's always about maintaining certain fitness level. If you are fit, you can bat for a longer period, also you can bowl long spells. Besides, Baroda is in rebuilding phase.”