Irfan Pathan - From Setback to Comeback?

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – FEBRUARY 26: Irfan Pathan of India smiles during the One Day International match between Australia and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground on February 26, 2012 in Sydney, Australia.

When the squad for the Sri Lanka tour was announced, R Vinay Kumar’s last minute injury gave Irfan Pathan a ray of hope. His commendable performance in the recently concluded series has made the team selectors wear their thinking caps again. Some say that he has worked hard and deserves a place in the test team too; Pathan will surely enjoy swinging the red cherry again. While some want him back in all formats of the game, critics still doubt his abilities.

As some have commented, the wickets he took in the Sri Lankan series were not all that particularly great, for many batsmen threw away their wicket. Come on, critics. You can’t take the credit away from him. He has been bowling well within his speed limitations making full use of his swing that was well assisted by the Sri Lankan pitches. His contributions with the bat have always been a bonus. The mixed reviews were also present in the post match talk show between Ajay Jadeja and Isha Guha.

The Indian swing sultan has had a topsy-turvy ride so far. He stormed into world cricket debuting in the Australian Test series. He became a sensation with his swing, speed, and not to forget, his curly mass of hair. The poster boy was young, full of zest, and most importantly, an all-rounder. Indian cricket has always missed an all rounder in their line up over the years, Kapil Dev being the only name that comes to my mind. Anyway, everything seemed perfect for Pathan and Indian cricket. Wickets kept tumbling with his dreadful in-swing, and he was a sheer pleasure to watch. But no one knew that things would soon change.

With Greg Chappell taking over as the coach of India, Pathan was promoted up the batting order. One may say that though Chappell had spotted a batsman in Pathan it was a mistake to let his bowling take a backseat. Although his batting improved significantly, what had brought him into the Indian team, his swing, lost face and his pace became a dud as well. As a result Pathan couldn’t hold on to his seat for too long. His continual loss of form and recurring injury stints brought about his ouster from the team. He did make a comeback later but the deadly pace and swing with a change in action and shorter run up didn’t help his cause. With the Indian batting line up fully star-studded and bowling nearly complete he didn’t fit in well and kept moving in and out of the team.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – FEBRUARY 21: Virender Sehwag of India celebrates with team mate Irfan Pathan after taking a diving catch to dismiss Mahela Jayawardena of Sri Lanka during game eight of the One Day International Series between India and Sri Lanka at The Gabba on February 21, 2012 in Brisbane, Australia.

In the recently concluded Sri Lankan tour, answering his critics well, Pathan made most of the golden opportunity he received and once again showed that it was’t over for him yet. Nine long years ago, he entered the international cricket scene and he’s still working hard to cement his place. One really needs a strong motivation to hold on to it this long. With age catching up (he’s 28) Pathan surely needs to make the best of his season ahead. His recent performances in the shorter format have earned him a place in the T-20 world cup in Sri Lanka, and now that the newly tailored SL pitches support his swing and medium pace and his ability to control the economy rate, his deft bowling variations might just fetch him some more delicious wickets.

We will all be looking forward to the season ahead. This might just be the season which will tell us where Irfan Pathan’s career will be heading. With the Indian camp nurturing young pacers like Umesh Yadav and Varun Aaron, Pathan will have to justify his place in the Indian camp.

If he keeps bowling consistently, taking wickets and batting well down the order, he is the one who will give the Indian team the sense of completeness which seems to be missing at the moment. Pathan always has been a fighter and will surely not give up any time soon. Let us see if his hard work pays off, and if he is appreciated for it.