Played last game at 27 when cricketers start their career, admits Irfan Pathan
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Former India quick Irfan Pathan clarified that talks of Gregg Chappell ruining his career is a cover as his performance went down due to a change in his role in the side. Pathan praised the way his skippers, Ganguly, Dravid and Kumble, enhanced his skills and backed him up in the middle.
As veteran India speedster Irfan Pathan called it time on his 19-year long career on Saturday (January 4), the talks of former India coach Gregg Chappell ruining his career returned to become the talk of the town. The Australian was in charge of the Indian side from 2005 to 2007.
While the rumours were always there, Pathan's statement post retirement : “Most players start their India career at 27-28 but I ended up playing my last game at that stage”, fanned it even more.
Responding to a question about the same, the Baroda pacer hailed it as a cover for the drop in his performance as he pointed out that he never lost his swing. Pathan clarified that it was the change in his position and role in the side which triggered his downfall.
“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.”
During his time with the Indian team, the left-handed all-rounder's role in the team changed multiple times, being used once as an opening bowler to becoming a bowler first-change for the national team. It was one of the reasons that his form saw a dip, after which he was axed from the Indian team.
“People talk about my performance, but my job was different. I was given 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 told PTI.
He also praised his former captains Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble.
“When I came into the Indian team, Ganguly knew I could do well with the new ball in Australia. He eventually gave me the confidence. I think that was the start. When Dravid became the captain, he utilised my potential one step ahead. (He) used me higher in the batting order (when) besides bowling with the new ball.Anil bhai was the kind of senior I was lucky to have alongside Sachin paaji (Tendulkar), who always gave me the right advice,” he concluded.
