Yusuf Pathan eyes comeback into the national side with strong IPL performances

The Sunrisers Hyderabad suffered a major setback even before the start of the tournament as David Warner was barred from playing in the IPL. However, coach Tom Moody and VVS Laxman were optimistic of teams chances and believed that the team was not dependent on one player and they had the depth in the squad to fill the big gap left by Warner.

A strong start

The 2016 Champions started off on a winning note as they thumped the Rajasthan Royals by nine wickets in Uppal. The star of the match was Shikhar Dhawan who scored a blistering 77 to take his team home comfortably. The match was a lop-sided affair and some of the Sunrisers players didn’t even get a chance to show their skill on the park. One such player was SRH new recruit Yusuf Pathan, who in the past seasons had proved his mettle as a T20 player.

Pathan had enjoyed a fair bit of success with the Knight Riders in the past seasons but was deemed surplus to their requirements this time around. He was purchased by the Sunrisers for 1.9Cr. He is confident of playing a key role in his new franchise that will also boost his chances of getting into the Indian team.

Confident about his team’s chances

“I’m gelling really well with the team and I’m getting to learn a lot from head coach Tom Moody and Muttiah Muralitharan. I am excited for the new season as I will get to play for a new team. It is not at all difficult for me to adjust to the new setup. When you play a sport professionally, you have to make these adjustments. I am looking forward to putting my step forward and give it my best. SRH has a good legacy and I hope I can contribute to team’s success this season.” Said Yusuf Pathan in an exclusive chat with Cricketnext.

The Hyderabad based franchise has had a handful of new recruits this time with Shakib Al Hasan and Manish Pandey being the top names. Deepak Hooda is also a part of the setup and he has played alongside Pathan at the domestic level. The team has done well in the past few years and will continue to focus on their strengths.

Once a regular in the Indian team, Pathan hasn’t played for the national team since 2012 and just like other hopefuls, he aspires to play for his country once more. For him, his fans’ support has been immense and that is what keeps him going.

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