Interview: Irfan Pathan on his 100th FC match, India's chance in the world cup and much more

Indian cricket since his arrival in international cricket back in 2003-04 has never been far from talking of Irfan Pathan whenever an all-rounder is being discussed. In him the team found the guy they had missed since the glorious era of the Haryana Hurricane Kapil Dev ended a pacer who could pick wickets on merit of his swing and come back hard at the opposition with the bat. Not that there have been any, but very few with similar quality and approach. Even while the seam bowling all-rounder option was discussed for the world cup one surely knew we are missing Irfan from the recons and eventually he is now the player with most international games without having featured once in a world cup match.

One can call him a guy with a tough luck having fallen to injuries in good times, losing his spot to fitness more than form, but much much tougher is the guy, making come back after come back never giving up on a low and rising higher every time he falls has been his quality in all the 10 or 12 years of cricket he has played under the spot light. Just recently he made his 100th appearance in First Class Cricket and Cricket Tracker’s senior member Syed Sujjad caught the younger Pathan in a spirited and inspired mood.

Edited excerpts from the Interview:

First of all congratulations on playing your 100th First Class match, how does it feel achieving this rare feat?

First of all it a great feeling as this is a very special achievement, especially coming from a place where there have been only 5 or 6 players to have achieved it and probably I am the only all-rounder from Baroda to have done so. I feel very humble and thankful to the all mighty and at the same time I will say that this would have been impossible without the support of my family, my brother and all the coaches who have helped me through this journey. But, still I know there is still a longer journey ahead of me.

You have played 3 matches since you’ve come back how has it been thus far?

Feeling pretty good I have bowled almost 80-90 overs in these three games, feeling confident fitness wise and also picked 9 wickets, scored 178 runs as an all-rounder and it gonna get better with time since you are playing after a long lay-off you only get better as a bowler, the rhythm gets set. All the wickets that I have generated have been good ones in LBWs, caught behinds so everything looks positive, even with the bat I have been able to perform on crucial moments the partnership in this match as well as the 80-90 odd runs I got at Lucknow was important for the team as the game was set up for us after that so it’s a very strong, positive feeling and will go on improving as much as I play.

Had you recovered a couple of month’s back, who knows the all-rounder’s spot for the world cup would have been yours?

There are a million negative thoughts around but I firmly believe in being and thinking positive as well as I am very realistic so I always look at things which are ahead of me than thinking over something which hasn’t happened. Yes I would have loved had it happened but now I am looking ahead to the Ranji Season and hopefully Baroda will qualify for the knockoffs so will try to do well there and consistent performance will surely earn me a spot in the recons for the Indian team and being among the top players from the country in itself is a considerable achievement so will try my best to get along as soon as I can though not in the world cup but after it, will be in and around the team soon.

Everybody wants to know about the swing of Irfan Pathan, how positive are you about it?

(Laughs) It’s going around well, God has been kind to me, and I will soon post few videos of some of the deliveries. The ball is swinging like I wanted it to and is a right sign along with it there will be many positive things happening, as and when I play on the bigger stages people will love what they see of me.

And you have been doing well with the bat as well, would you prefer batting a bit higher in the order?

See the current situation of the team demands me batting lower so I don’t mind batting anywhere in the line-up and it depends on what the team wants me to do. I am comfortable anywhere as batting at number 7 I face the new ball, so it doesn’t change much for me, I have also worked on my batting technique, solidified it and at the same time it depends on the situation and the requirement of the team.

The Baroda team has been looking in high spirits since you are in, how is the dressing room atmosphere now?

It feels nice when the team starts winning and if your inclusion makes a difference, we had 5 points in the first three games and since I have been back we have added another 15 points in these 3 games its really good to see the team doing well with your contribution and will try and better it in the coming games.

How is the CAP shaping?

It’s shaping up well, we have a lot of registrations coming up; have tied up with VIBGYOR School in Baroda. It will start there by 2nd February but we don’t want to fill up as many applications as we receive, the focus is on providing the adequate number of students the right quality of training and assistance. Looking forward to the day when we actually start with it and it’s very exciting.

Is coming up with centers in others cities as well a part of the plan?

The plans are quite big but first let’s focus on the first academy the first camp and the rest will unfold with time.

Does the current Indian team tick enough boxes in your view to defend the world cup title in Australia and New Zealand?

The team has a great chance and I am praying that they do well, yes it has not been up to the expectations at this moment but by the time the world cup approaches the intensity, the mindset will change and they will do very well and I believe the team will play like champions in the world cup.

Indian bowlers struggle to bowl out the opposition; we saw it throughout in England, even in Australia. Be it tests or ODIs what could well be the reason and any suggestible remedy?

It is not the time in my career that I start giving out advice to others, it the job of the exerts, the media and the pundits who sit on television channels to analysis this and it suits them the best I don’t consider myself an expert as of now so till then all I will say is my prayers stand with the team and hope they do well.

Give us a quick preview of what Irfan Pathan will be up to in coming months?

Hopefully in the coming months there will be a lot of positive things coming for me, my families and all the lovely fans around India will get a very good news from my cricket. It will happen sooner or later as I have put in a lot of hard work, it will surely pay off.

Recently the Sun Risers Hyderabad franchise released you from its contracted players list, looking ahead to this years’ IPL auction?

Expecting a lot of good thing from this auction, the best part is that I am playing and performing, when you are doing well a lot of teams want you to be a part of their set up so looking forward to this years’ IPL.

And lastly a message to all those waiting, supporting fans
They have been kind, always supporting so I would like to thank each and every one of you for the backing, the support. All they want is to see me play, perform and I thank all the fans who have shown their love during the Ranji matches, their prayers, expectations of watching me back in the Indian team is right from the heart without their personal interest in it. I feel blessed when they ask for an autograph, a photo sometimes even a hug, it’s all their love and it’s their power that helps me fight. It doesn’t matter that I am in the team or the fans have always been there for me along with my family, will try, do well and come true to their expectations.

In the end our interviewer also wished him success for his plans and with the hope to meet him back when he is in the Indian jersey bid adieu to Irfan Pathan.