Yusuf Pathan got his
international career to a great start with a six
in the first over of World Twenty20 final at the
Wanderers. The 25-year-old continued his Twenty20
form in the inaugural edition of the Indian
Premier League (IPL) — 435 runs with four fifties
at a strike rate of 179 — for Rajasthan Royals.
Success, though, hasn’t been smooth in one-day
Internationals.
Yusuf, promised to
fulfill the expectations during an interview.
The start to his
one-day career
My performance has been average… The start hasn’t
been very encouraging... But I am confident things
will fall into place and I will be able to meet
expectations. There will be no let up in my
efforts… Baki sab Allah ke hath mein.
If he deserved the break early on
That is up to the selectors. I cannot do much
about it.
On what kept him going after being overlooked
by the selectors
I’ve always believed my job is to perform and my
time will come. I kept performing in the domestic
circuit. Every match, be it domestic or
international, is a big motivation. That keeps me
going.
Playing with Irfan (the second after the Amarnath
brothers to play for India)
Not just Irfan, I enjoy playing with everyone. Be
it on the field or off it, my teammates always
help me to perform better. I’ve played along with
Irfan from an early age and it’s nothing new… Too
much is being read into it. I realise it’s
significant in the context of international
cricket, but to me, it’s no great feeling. We get
along well… Having him around on tours mean we can
go out together for namaaz on Fridays or for some
other common cause… But make no mistake, my
teammates are as close and dear to me as Irfan.
If the Pathans dream to make it big like the Chappell and the Waugh brothers
I think it’s too early to talk about such big
names…eir own right. We obviously want to make a
name for ourselves and that would be a huge
achievement if the dream comes true… But I’ve just
started my career and would first want to
concentrate on cementing my place in the side. The
rest will follow…
The secret of success in the IPL
It’s not that I performed only in the IPL. I’ve doing
well in the domestic circuit too for the last couple of
years. It’s only that I drew much attention after the
IPL. Maybe because of the presence of so stars in the
tournament…
Playing under Shane Warne’s captaincy and coaching
for Rajasthan Royals
He is a great in his own right but a very humble person.
His presence and approach makes a huge difference. He
didn’t change our game but stressed on everyone playing
their natural game… He gelled well with the side and the
results are there for everyone to see.
His idol
Sachin Tendulkar and others… Personally, playing with
Sachin has been a big thing. Kapil Dev is also someone
whom I admire… Most of I t was watching him on TV during
the growing up years…
His best cricketing moment so far
Obviously playing the final and being part of the World
Twenty20 team. Nothing can match it… The IPL success
will fade in comparison. The feeling is entirely
different when you are representing the country.
His target
To improve and perform in international cricket…
Everything else will fall into place.
