Irfan Pathan Takes Indirect Dig At MS Dhoni For Lack Of Support From Ex-Captain
Published - 05 Jan 2020, 12:14 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:03 AM
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Just months after breaking into the Indian team as a swing bowling prodigy, Irfan Pathan started drawing comparisons with none other than the legendary Kapil Dev. In the early years of his career, Irfan Pathan was considered by many as the most talented swing and seam bowler to emerge from India since Kapil Dev.
He picked up a Test hat-trick in Pakistan in 2006 and still remains the only bowler to do so in the very over of a match. In 2007, he was the Man of the Match when India beat Pakistan in the final of the inaugural 2007 T20 World Cup. A few months later, he came with a solid all round performance when India registered a famous Test victory in Perth against Australia, just days after the monkeygate scandal.
Irfan Pathan did well with the bat too as he was promoted as an opener or a No 3 a few times for the team’s cause. In 29 Tests, he averaged 31.57 with the bat, including a century and six fifties in 40 innings. In ODIs and T20Is, he averaged 23.39 and 24.57 respectively.
However, towards the end of 2000s, he started underperforming with both bat and ball and soon lost his place. He did earn a few recalls but never really managed to deliver like the way he did at the start of his career. Irfan played his last Test way back in 2008 while his last ODI and T20I appearance came in 2012.
Also Read: Irfan Pathan Opens Up On The Best Captain He Played Under, Snubs MS Dhoni
No support:
Having fallen out of favour with the selectors and team-management in the later part of his career, Irfan Pathan has now taken a shot at the captain for not backing him. While he did not mention any name, it was pretty much clear that he was not happy with how MS Dhoni dealt with him.
Irfan Pathan said that he did not get any support after turning 27. He turned 27 in 2011 when MS Dhoni was the captain of the team across formats. The 35-year old also said that he would reveal more in future.
“Many people feel I did not get the backing from the captain or the team management. I think that’s not in my control. All I cared about was doing well for the team and I am glad I could do that. But yes, one thing disappoints me. When I took my 300th wicket, I was 27. People peak at 27, but I did not play international cricket after that. Why? I don’t have an answer to that. Maybe, in the future, things will come out in the open,” Irfan Pathan told Sportstar.
“When people play until 35, they end up performing even better. If I had played for that long, maybe, I would’ve had a more glittering career. But I am proud with whatever I have done — with both bat and ball. I have been able to make an impact on Indian cricket and I am happy about that,” he added.
It should be remembered that Irfan Pathan did not play a single game for MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings when the franchise signed him in 2015 before releasing him ahead of the next year’s edition.
