Sunday 5 August 2012

Impressive Irfan has proved a point

Prior to the beginning of the India-Sri Lanka one-day series many critics, including me, questioned the selection of left-arm seamer Irfan Pathan as a replacement for the injured R. Vinay Kumar. Well, Pathan has proved all of us wrong with some excellent performances with both bat and ball during this series. To be honest there wasn’t any wrongful intention involved in questioning Pathan’s selection, for he is a wonderfully hardworking cricketer. It was just that he wasn’t able to perform anywhere near his potential, and his bowling had also lost the sting he once possessed.No, he hasn’t regained everything on this Lankan tour. But what he has done is exhibit that he can be a match-winner on his day. 
Bowling apart, Pathan has impressed with the bat as well.Despite his success in Lanka, it cannot be said that the old Pathan is back. Still, something of Pathan is better than nothing of him for Indian cricket.



By: Siddharth Jha