Irfan Pathan highlighted the significant impact of the IPL on cricket, noting its transformative role in providing direct entry to the national team while urging selectors to consider players’ overall contributions.
Former all-rounder Irfan Pathan advised the selection committee to avoid favoring recent IPL performances alone when picking players for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, emphasizing the importance of considering players’ overall contributions, even preceding IPL 2024.
Speaking on Star Sports, Pathan underscored the need to acknowledge players’ past achievements for India, drawing attention to his own experience of being dropped due to injury. He contrasted this with the case of Wriddhiman Saha, who, despite a year-long absence due to injury, earned a spot in the team upon recovery. Pathan also highlighted the evolution in selection criteria, urging a balanced approach that values both recent form and long-term contributions to ensure fair and effective team selection for the marquee event.
“When you’re in a selection committee, you shouldn’t forget a player’s previous contributions for India, even before the IPL. You should never forget that, and I’m not referring to events from too far back. This should always be taken into consideration. Just because some players are performing well in the IPL, it doesn’t mean they should automatically be selected,” Pathan said.
“I was part of the Indian team, when Cheeka (Kris Srikkanth) sir was a selector. I got injured and was dropped from the team after that, despite having played for India,” Pathan said. “I have no qualms at all… but I’m saying, at that time, the situation was different. The mindset, perhaps of the captain or the selection committee, was different. But let’s talk about the 2010s. Wriddhiman Saha was literally out of the team for a year due to injury. When he recovered, he returned to the squad and made it into the Playing XI after a year,” he added.
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The former cricketer further underscored the disparity between IPL and international cricket, noting that while IPL may feature uncapped bowlers vulnerable to big hits on smaller grounds, international teams field seasoned bowlers with ample experience.
“In the IPL, there are always one or two uncapped bowlers who can be easily smacked due to small grounds and flat pitches. However, international cricket is a different beast altogether. You’ll have five bowlers, each with a significant number of matches under their belt before entering the World Cup, bringing in tons of experience. You’ll be up against top-quality bowlers like Mitchell Starc. While Starc’s performance in the IPL may differ, you’ll still be facing top-quality bowlers. So, don’t overlook their contributions. While considering recent performances is important, remember their achievements for the Indian team before the IPL as well,” Pathan concluded.
Last Updated on April 29, 2024
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