Irfan Pathan has played big role in eliminating fear out of J&K players, reveals Parvez Rasool

Calling Jammu and Kashmir’s ongoing Ranji Trophy campaign a ‘fairytale’ might just be an understatement. The team entered the campaign uncertain about their participation, owing to the political unrest in the state, with the Government of India revoking the special status, or limited autonomy, granted under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution to Jammu and Kashmir. 

“That is the line of thinking now. We have a combination of some wonderful young players and a few seniors. The average age is 23-24, the youngsters are hungry, they have that spark.

However, the 31-year-old has stated that he is unphased by the pressure that comes along with his stature and has revealed that he, in fact, embraces it, with his sole aim being to provide back to the state by helping the youngsters. The all-rounder, who made his debut in 2008, attested that it was important to nurture the youngsters, give them leeway to make mistakes and show them the way and stated that he believes that the current young J&K crop have the potential in them to make history.

“I don't look at it as pressure. It's a proud moment for me that as a senior, who has played at a higher level, I'm in a position to give back to the state. I want to bring that experience and share it with the youngsters. It's not like I had something more than what these youngsters have in terms of ability. It's just that my father was a district cricketer, who played local tournaments. So I had that backing from my family, which some of these guys don't have.