Pathan interview
INDORE: Listen to your body. This is the simple mantra Irfan Pathan has followed in his mission to serve Indian cricket as a quality player who can win matches on his own.
"I have learnt to listen to my body. If the body is tired, I just stop training. It is important to take proper rest because I am not a machine. I am human and even machines require rest. In today's cricket it is important to have proper training and rest. If you push yourself, you are likely to get injured," Pathan said here on Thursday.
About the grip
He laughed at suggestions that he needs to change his grip and increase his speed. "All this talk about my grip is rubbish. It is the same grip that brought me wickets in my first season in international cricket. People (read experts) have to talk and it is their opinion.
"I know my limitations. I started my career by bowling 128-130 km. I was never a quick bowler. When Australia came to India I did bowl at 140-144.
"Let me tell you that I bowl 130-132 consistently. Why don't these experts remember that I did not begin my career as a fast bowler? I could swing the ball and put it in the right areas. That is what matters. I think in our country people expect too much and make conclusions too quickly. Sometimes the speedometer can be wrong.
Learnt to relax
"I am surprised why these experts didn't question my grip when I was doing well. I will tell you where I was going wrong. It was not the grip. I was actually trying too hard. Once I learnt to relax I got my rhythm back," Pathan said.
He has made steady progress as an all-rounder, being promoted to bat at No. 3. He is relishing the challenge too. The next time he smashes a six, just watch his footwork. "I learnt it from (elder brother) Yusuf," he said with pride. "For long, I could not hit a six and would often get out. He spotted the weakness and told me not to bend my left leg when trying to hit."
This was at the nets in Baroda. It took Pathan just a single delivery to learn the art of clearing the field. "I hit his next ball out of the ground," he recalled.
Pathan is not a speed merchant and does not regret it. The all-rounder from Baroda has begun to understand the rigours of international cricket and learnt to guard himself from a burn-out.
"I know my strengths. I am not a tearaway fast bowler. My strength is swing and I better stick to the basics that brought me to this level. As a bowler, my job is to take wickets. Does it matter if I take them by swinging the ball?
"The important thing is to take wickets. I have the speed to beat the batsman and I have the swing to beat the batsman. If I can combine my speed and swing, I know I can be a different bowler from the rest. I am improving my skills and variations. For me, it is still a learning process," he said.
Pathan has matured as a cricketer. He is "enjoying" his success as a premier all-rounder and is looking forward to achieving his goals he set for himself from the time he wore the India cap two seasons ago.
"I know my limitations and I have realised the importance of playing within them. There is no point pushing myself beyond a point," said the young man.
Pathan has a dream. "I want to be known as an all-rounder, not a bits-and-pieces cricketer. I want to make big contributions as a batsman and a bowler. I enjoy responsibilities and nothing can make me happier than being called an all-rounder," he said.
Pathan misses first-class cricket. "Whenever I can, I would love to play domestic cricket. I have a tight schedule at the international level but I can't forget the lessons of domestic cricket."
What is his resolve for the season ahead? "Well, I know I need to bowl a lot. I want to combine my speed with swing to become a better bowler."
INDORE: Listen to your body. This is the simple mantra Irfan Pathan has followed in his mission to serve Indian cricket as a quality player who can win matches on his own.
"I have learnt to listen to my body. If the body is tired, I just stop training. It is important to take proper rest because I am not a machine. I am human and even machines require rest. In today's cricket it is important to have proper training and rest. If you push yourself, you are likely to get injured," Pathan said here on Thursday.
About the grip
He laughed at suggestions that he needs to change his grip and increase his speed. "All this talk about my grip is rubbish. It is the same grip that brought me wickets in my first season in international cricket. People (read experts) have to talk and it is their opinion.
"I know my limitations. I started my career by bowling 128-130 km. I was never a quick bowler. When Australia came to India I did bowl at 140-144.
"Let me tell you that I bowl 130-132 consistently. Why don't these experts remember that I did not begin my career as a fast bowler? I could swing the ball and put it in the right areas. That is what matters. I think in our country people expect too much and make conclusions too quickly. Sometimes the speedometer can be wrong.
Learnt to relax
"I am surprised why these experts didn't question my grip when I was doing well. I will tell you where I was going wrong. It was not the grip. I was actually trying too hard. Once I learnt to relax I got my rhythm back," Pathan said.
He has made steady progress as an all-rounder, being promoted to bat at No. 3. He is relishing the challenge too. The next time he smashes a six, just watch his footwork. "I learnt it from (elder brother) Yusuf," he said with pride. "For long, I could not hit a six and would often get out. He spotted the weakness and told me not to bend my left leg when trying to hit."
This was at the nets in Baroda. It took Pathan just a single delivery to learn the art of clearing the field. "I hit his next ball out of the ground," he recalled.
Pathan is not a speed merchant and does not regret it. The all-rounder from Baroda has begun to understand the rigours of international cricket and learnt to guard himself from a burn-out.
"I know my strengths. I am not a tearaway fast bowler. My strength is swing and I better stick to the basics that brought me to this level. As a bowler, my job is to take wickets. Does it matter if I take them by swinging the ball?
"The important thing is to take wickets. I have the speed to beat the batsman and I have the swing to beat the batsman. If I can combine my speed and swing, I know I can be a different bowler from the rest. I am improving my skills and variations. For me, it is still a learning process," he said.
Pathan has matured as a cricketer. He is "enjoying" his success as a premier all-rounder and is looking forward to achieving his goals he set for himself from the time he wore the India cap two seasons ago.
"I know my limitations and I have realised the importance of playing within them. There is no point pushing myself beyond a point," said the young man.
Pathan has a dream. "I want to be known as an all-rounder, not a bits-and-pieces cricketer. I want to make big contributions as a batsman and a bowler. I enjoy responsibilities and nothing can make me happier than being called an all-rounder," he said.
Pathan misses first-class cricket. "Whenever I can, I would love to play domestic cricket. I have a tight schedule at the international level but I can't forget the lessons of domestic cricket."
What is his resolve for the season ahead? "Well, I know I need to bowl a lot. I want to combine my speed with swing to become a better bowler."