My DebuT....... Review on Irfan Pathan

The title reads?My Debut?because its my first review on any sporting game or personality? and as Geoffrey Boycott would say its on a Crikeeting personality--?

Name: Irfan Khan Pathan

D.O.B: 27 October 1984, Baroda, Gujarat

Batting: Left Hand Bat

Bowling: Left Arm Medium Fast

Test Debut: India v Australia at Adelaide, 2nd Test, 2003/04

ODI Debut:India v Australia at Melbourne, VB Series, 2003/04

India has always been inconsistent in producing fast swing bowlers since a last few years and hence there is always a need for a consistent bowler in the Indian team because Ajit Agarkar, Ashish Nehra and even Zaheer Khan had been through injury problems, inconsistent performance etc.

But during the U-19 world one bowler caught eyes of many people and the Indian selectors as well. The lad was none other than the 19 year old Irfan Pathan. The performance of his in the U-19 was feathered by an amazing 9/16 (with a hat-trick) wicket haul against Bangladesh. Trained in the MRF pace academy under Dennis Lillie, the selectors wasted no time and in few months he was wearing the Blue Indian cap and was ready to play in the International Arena.

Ofcourse playing in the Indian Cricket team with the big guns and playing against the big opposition guns too like Pakistan, Australia etc is not easy. But Irfan managed to surpass the nervousness and made a debut against the mighty Australia in the second test and he did not disappoint. All the eyes were now on Irfan Pathan.

Gentle left arm action, the ability to swing the ball both ways and the ability to get early breakthroughs and bowling at a fair 130~135 ks an hour Irfan had already become the spear-head of the Indian bowling attack. He took 16 Tests wickets at an average of 38 and 36 ODI wickets at an average of 23.19, with best figures of 4-24 against Zimbabwe in the VB Series in Australia.

Some very useful training sessions with the legend Wasim Akram have really made Pathan the future of Indian bowling or swing bowling I should say.

Then came the Indo-Pak series, one of the most awaited series in Cricket history. Two arch rivals meet in Pakistan after about 15 years. There too Pathan did not disappoint. He continued his stint of taking wickets. Remember getting Youhana out twice by the same in-swinging delivery!!

He has recently been awarded as the ?Emerging Player for 2003? at the Awards for Cricketing Excellence and right now in Bangladesh, India playing the first test on day -1, he has already taken a career best of 5/45.

Coming to his batting well he can bat as well and has a half century to his name. Batting left-arm can hit a few sixes or so. But then if he is trained well he can become a genuine all-rounder.

In this short span of time Irfan has managed to capture many hearts and not to mention has become the Hope of India for the future. And I sincerely hope and wish the Pathan continues his spell and make the critics quiet by proving that he is the genuine Indian left arm swing bowler.

The only problem I see in his bowling is his lack of bowling consistent Yorkers.Somehow not too many bowlers have been able to master this act except apart Wasim Akram and Imran Khan. But still there is inexperience and a long way to go and so lets hope he masters this too.

Background of Irfan :

Irfan and his two brothers were born and brought up in a disciplined and conservative background in Baroda. Irfan was interested in cricket since childhood and due to his constant pesky approach, his father asked his brother in law, Ahmed Mian, to coach this bright little kid. At 12, he went into season-ball cricket under the coaching of Mehndi Shiekh. When he first bowled, hw was so fragile that he could not even get his ball to reach the other end of the pitch.

After rigorous practice and extreme perspiring hard work, Irfan started rolling his gifted left arm over finally. He then found his mentor and new coach under Dattajirao Gaekwad. The perspiration in the nets earned him a place in the Baroda?s Ranji Team. In his teens itself, he had became Baroda's opening and prime bowler by 2001, with Zaheer Khan called for National Duty. At the young age of 19, this teenager went on to take his 100th First Class wicket and then finally made his debut playing in the U-19 world cup and the rest is all I have wrote above.

Statistics:

Mat Runs HS BatAv 100 50 W BB BowlAv 5w Ct

8 202 55 25.25 0 1 21 4/100 41.19 0 3 0

One-Day:

Mat Runs HS BatAv 100 50 W BB BowlAv 5w Ct

27 209 38 17.41 0 0 46 4/24 25.97 0 4

Statistics source:

http://www.cricinfo.com