It’s been almost four years since Irfan Pathan last donned the India jersey in a T20 match, but the all-rounder still believes that a national comeback is not a pipedream for him as there is room for a left-arm pacer in the side.
“I am just 31 and have a long way to go. In the next 5-6 years, anything can happen,” said Irfan who was in Chennai to promote the TNPL.
The Baroda left-arm pacer said the upcoming season would be pivotal for his return to the national side. “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.
Irfan, plagued by injuries, never really made a strong case for his national return in the last few years though he was sought-after in the IPL. “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.
Meanwhile, Ashish Nehra who suffered a hamstring injury during IPL9 said he was still under rehabilitation. “I am not fully fit yet. I was in London for two and a half months and I am still doing rehab for my hamstring and knee. I will be training at the NCA,” he added.
The left-arm pacer said it’s unfair to put so much emphasis on speed ahead of effectiveness. “Would you prefer someone who bowls at 140kmph and gives away 80 runs or someone who takes wickets irrespective of his speed When Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who swings the ball well, ends up not taking any wickets, people talk about his speed rather lack of it. And when Varun Aaron clocks 140kmph people say he is not swinging it. The only criterion should be the wickets column, nothing else,” he said.
Nehra said the IPL has helped a lot of bowlers regain confidence and Bhuvaneshwar’s recent surge is a case in point. “He was not bowling well before the last IPL. Look at him now in Test matches; he is a lot different from last year,” he added.
The Delhi veteran said not many people understand the difference between getting injured and being unfit. “The amount of hard work a cricketer puts in takes a toll on his body,” he added.
