Its Only Cricket

3rd Test: Australia wins Sydney Test (scorecard), South Africa won Test Series 2-1.. T20 & ODI series follows.
Current Cricket Series : South Africa vs Australia, West Indies vs New Zealand. Coming Up : India in NZ 2009.

Filed under IndvAus Adelaide 2008

Tell people their negatives -- and they'll hate you. Tell them what's good in them -- they'll listen to you..

Someone, somewhere must have told the goods Irfan Pathan has in him - fit body, desire & a street smart cricket brain. add some good looks to it, and you've a 23+1/2 year old who can win the World.

Another thing I admire about Irfan Pathan is his presence at the crease. Shaking his head, talking to opposition bowlers and playing all shots in the book. Baroda bowler (who can bat) has a number of deliveries he can bowl any moment. Banana Swing, across the right handers, down the leg side with Keeper standing up and now I hear Irfan is working with guru Wasim Akram on how to bowl yorkers!

He's a tricky left arm pacer to face, always at you. Mathew Hayden must have found that out on Irfan's debut ODI at Brisbane when India had set 280 and Aussies were up to chase. Hayden, nearing his century, decided to go after the debutant but edged a short pitched delivery to keeper. He was dismissed by Irfan in exact manner on his debut test at Adelaide Oval as well.

Career start, of course, was famous. Irfan Pathan took a hat-trick in a test match against Pakistan at Karachi. fact about Pathan's hat-trick that you might not know - is that its the best hat-trick taken while dismissing the top order batsmen - in terms of batting average. Most hat-tricks are made while dismissing tail-enders but Irfan Pathan had reduced Pakistan to 0/3 in the very first over. Batsmen were - Salman Butt c dravid b Pathan, Younis Khan lbw Pathan & Mohammad Yousuf bowled Pathan.. in the very first over of that test match which, somehow, India lost!

Captain Rahul Dravid started sending Irfan at number 3 in batting which was working wonders for India against Srilanka in a home ODI series.

Then - the downfall. Ball stopped swinging for Irfan & Indian team were not prepared to play him just as a batsman. Coach Greg Chappell was instrumental in keeping Irfan out of the playing XI before Baroda cricketer moved to MRF pace academy in Bangalore.

Almost a year of recalculations - Irfan Pathan is back. and how.. Twenty20 world cup came in perfect for him - where his fighting will & all round abilities worked better than his lost ability of swinging new ball. now Irfan Pathan wins the man of the match award as India beats Australia in Australia (on Perth).. this time - banana swing was back!

How did Irfan's swing come back? it happened because Irfan realized what's good in him rather than crib over the failures.

Itsonlycricket's idea behind his article was to make a note of how Irfan Pathan looks when smiling, and what a fine cricketer he is. Somewhere in coming year, if he again loses his faith in himself - hopefully above words might tell him what's good in him.

Masha-allah : what a cricketer

Preview : Who's best in tests, Adelaide to test

Day 1 : Century No. 39 for Sachin Tendulkar

Day 2 : India put substantial total on board

Day 3 : India pushes : Australia resists : Draw pops up!

Day 4 - India : Australia : Draw = 2:8:90.

Australia win series, India win hearts