I am just 31 and have a long way to go, says a hopeful Irfan Pathan
Aug 23, 2016 at 11:23 AM
Irfan Pathan took the world by storm as a nineteen-year-old. His ability to swing the ball both ways had even the best of batsmen worried. But somehow he lost his rhythm and is now not even in the reckoning for a spot in the Indian team. Only the second Indian player to take a Test hat-trick, his last appearance for India came way back in October 2012, the team’s last match of the 2012 ICC World Twenty20 in Colombo. He didn’t get to bat and then took 1/26 in three overs as India beat South Africa by one run. However, the all-rounder has still not lost hope and said that if he remains fit his bowling is going to improve.
Talking to the journalists in Chennai, where he was promoting the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL), he said: “I am just 31 and have a long way to go. In the next 5-6 years, anything can happen: “I have done a lot of power training ahead of this season. I am fully ready. If my body is good, I am sure my bowling is going to get better and better. Last year, I was the highest wicket-taker (16) in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament. If I perform consistently, there no reason why I can’t make a comeback,” said Irfan.
A few critics pointed fingers at Irfan in the past saying that he is concentrating too much on batting and as a result losing his sharpness in bowling. However, the Baroda all-rounder reminded everyone that his 301 wickets at an international level are a proof that he is still a good bowler.
“Whenever people talk negatively about my career, I feel they are disrespecting my 301 international wickets. They shouldn’t do that. People come up with suggestions that I should have just concentrated on bowling. It just happened that my bowling made an impact at international level before batting,” added Irfan.