The indomitable Pathan

 

 

The blue-eyed boy of Indian cricket is back, and with a bang. Put out to pasture after a horrendous season in 2006, Irfan Khan Pathan found both form and swing with bat and ball on his return and helped India to the T20 World Cup and now, to an ODI series victory over Pakistan at home after 24 years. Neha Sarin caught up with the dashing pathan for a tête-à-tête.

Is it still really war out there in an India-Pakistan match? Do you think that the pressure on you and the others is more while playing against Pakistan? Yes, India-Pakistan matches are always hyped by the media and the masses but the team takes it as any other game. Like all other matches, we just go out there to give our best performance. But yes, India vs Pakistan is always a high voltage match.

The public and the media had trashed the team on their loss in the World Cup and the same public and media placed the team on cloud nine after the India-Pakistan series win, and especially after the T20 World Cup. Do you think that sub-continental fans overreact?

Upon arrival in India after our early exit from the ODI World Cup, we had fans swearing at us at the airport. But on returning home with the T20 World Cup, the same fans were there to greet us with praises and flowers. I believe that the fans of the sub-continent are very emotional. But at the same time they have a short lived memory. I understand the reasons for the behavior of the fans and reviews of the media and that’s why all these reactions do not have a negative effect on me.

How was the Twenty20 experience? Which moment do you recollect as the most precious one?

The T20 experience was fabulous! If you ask me, the most precious victory was, of course, in the finals against Pakistan. We were able to win the Cup only because of the grit displayed by the team. I was also adjudged Man of the Match for the final and it felt simply fantastic.

It was the first time that you played international cricket with your brother, Yusuf. Though you have more experience, what might you have learnt from your elder brother? I think, Yusuf is blessed with the virtue of fearlessness. After all, it’s not easy to hit a six off the second delivery on your international debut in a World Cup final, and that too against Pakistan.

Your parents wanted you and your brother to become Islamic scholars.How much support and encouragement did you get from your family for taking up sports as a career?

(Laughs) Yes, but that was a very long time ago. I think we were about five or six years old at that time. But things change with time. We always had the support and blessings of our parents. In fact, by the time we turned 12, our parents enrolled us to play cricket for a club. And today what we are has been possible only because of the support from family and friends.

Had there been no cricket, what would you have been doing?

I would like to believe that I would have been a doctor (laughs). Frankly speaking, I have never given a serious thought to anything other than cricket.

Who in the team is your best buddy and your favourite mentor? And How do you spend your time when not playing?

The entire team gets along very well with each other but I’m relatively closer to Dhoni, Robin Uthappa, Suresh Raina and R.P Singh. VVS Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar are my mentors. Well, as for chilling out, we watch movies, hang out and eat out together.

What are your future goals, on the cricket field and in your personal life?

When it comes to cricket, I want to perform to the best of my abilities for my country and keep achieving more. And as far as personal life goes, I believe that if you have your priorities right then everything else falls into place.