Prince EWS
Global Moderator
His record is massively padded by Zimbabwe and Bangladesh - I think he averages about 50 with the ball if you exclude them.
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*Official* Second Test at Trent Bridge
- Thread starter GIMH
- Start date
Anku31
U19 Vice-Captain
He is really good.But the problem is that he hasn't played domestic cricket for years.
Let us see this season.He will get to play 8-10 FC matches.If he performs,he should be definitely in.
flibbertyjibber
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One thing, if Zaheer does play and breaks down again I guess England will be within their rights to tell India they can't have a sub fielder for him or a runner when he bats as he went into the game carrying the injury. Be a ****storm of major proportions if that happened.
smash84
The Tiger King
Fair point. I do think Irfan will add balance to this Indian side. They desperately lack a bowling all rounder
Anku31
U19 Vice-Captain
You are absolutely wrong IMO.Remember his hat-trick against Pakistan??
He started his test career in Australia & bowled quite well there.
Prince EWS
Global Moderator
Anku31
U19 Vice-Captain
Good enough if he can bat at 7 & average around 30/innings.
Cevno
Hall of Fame Member
45 and that includes a period where he absolutely lost it. Besides many seamers have struggled to an extent in BD.
Anku31
U19 Vice-Captain
Yes.He performed really well on spinner friendly pitches of Bangladesh.
Prince EWS
Global Moderator
Well next time India play Bangladesh he can come in as a horses-for-course minnow basher. Until then he can continue to let his reputation grow by not playing and letting everyone forget how dire he became.
Anku31
U19 Vice-Captain
flibbertyjibber
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I think part of the problem for him becoming dire was the Indian media, he was hyped up as their next superstar and took his eye off the ball. Not the first player to be caught out like that and certainly won't be the last. He is still only mid 20's and should be a more mature person now. The talent is there and Fletcher showed with some of the England players he is a good man at harnessing it and getting them to perform.
Prince EWS
Global Moderator
FWIW, I certainly don't think it's impossible by any stretch of the imagine that Pathan could come back a better player. He's got ability. He needs to actual do something in domestic cricket first though; not just sit around injured for a season and get recalled because a lot of time has passed since the last time we found out he wasn't good enough yet. He certainly shouldn't be hailed as a saviour or someone who has shown he's a "good player", because he hasn't yet. He might in time, but so far his Test career has been dire and his overall figures just disguise that fact.
Outswinger@Pace
International 12th Man
There was a reason that he became dire. And he reckons, he has successfully overcome that fault. It was a technical issue as much as a mental one. People who've seen him bowling recently all agree that he is back in rhythm.
We are talking about the same guy that went through Yousuf's and Younis' gate in the space of two deliveries. When his rhythm is right, he's not a bad bowler.
There was a time about five years back when Pathan and Zaheer Khan were bowling together in Pakistan. To put it mildly, Zaheer was looking clueless with a ball in hand. Had no idea what he was doing and looked completely devoid of rhythm. Look how he's been bowling since his county stint. It's a strange old game this!
What is to say that Pathan cannot discover his touch back? The only issue is he hasn't played f/c cricket in a while. Maybe 2011 season can be his trial period and selectors can closely observe how he performs.
Outswinger@Pace
International 12th Man
Agreed completely! Performances in first class is the key. Just built up on that in my previous post.
flibbertyjibber
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Yes but his batting average without them goes up to 32.64, if he was the 7th bat and 5th bowler and his bowling improved a little he would still be a very useful player to have and as I said earlier it might lighten the workload for Zaheer and enable him to win more games for the team.
Cevno
Hall of Fame Member
Too much limited overs cricket ruined him . He started bowling cutters rather than look to swing it. Then the Indian pitches which don't swing with the new ball weren't ideal for him and also then he was expected to improve his batting too. Ishant was probably headed the same route and it is no surprise his recent signs of improvement come after he was dropped from the ODI and T20 squads.
Anku31
U19 Vice-Captain
Absoulety.When a fast bowler is out of touch completely,he should switch to playing 4-day games for a long time.Irfan should play all FC he gets to play for the Baroda side & also the West Zone.Just like Zaheer,who made once in a lifetime comeback after playing a full county season of 16 FC matches.He took 78 wickets in those 16 FC matches!