Like many Indian cricketers, Irfan Pathan is looking to resurrect his international career on the back of a strong performance in IPL 2015. This season he will be part of the Chennai Super Kings and he wants to make the best of the opportunity of playing under MS Dhoni in the tournament.
Irfan is in Chennai with his new team-mates and he said he is ready to play any role in the team in a bid to don the India cap again. “Obviously, the dream is to play for the country again,” Irfan said. “But at the same time, I should make sure that I go there step by step and that is what I am doing.
“I did well in the Ranji Trophy. Hopefully I can do well in the upcoming IPL as well. There are some matches coming up after the IPL season. Sooner or later, I will fulfil my dream (of playing for India again).
“In 2011, people talked that it was going to be difficult to make a comeback. But I told them that I will make a comeback and I did. I am saying it again that I am going to return to the national team and I am working towards it,” said Irfan.
CSK are a team filled with some world-class all-rounders, including Dwayne Bravo and Ravindra Jadeja. And the Indian seam bowling all-rounder is keen to make his own niche and contribute to the team in any way he can.
“Having many all-rounders is beneficial for the team,” Irfan said. “I have had a discussion with Stephen Fleming and he gave me an idea as to the kind of role he wants me to play. I am feeling very confident.
“It is just a matter of what Dhoni thinks in terms of how he is going to utilise me and how the team wants me to play. I think with the experience that I have I can fit in any role. I just have to be ready mentally,” he said.
CSK will be Irfan’s fourth IPL team after Kings XI Punjab, Delhi Daredevils and Sunrisers Hyderabad. However, for him this is no case for an awkward beginning – of having to settle into a new team’s environment all over again.
“Obviously, it is a new team for me but there are a lot of guys in the team that I know very well. So, I am really excited to play with the most successful team in the IPL so far. And I am really excited to play under Dhoni. Hopefully, the season will be great as I had trained very well having bowled over 150 overs in the Ranji Trophy this season,” he said. I had played in different teams earlier. Compared to other teams, CSK has a pretty relaxed atmosphere.”
By: IPLT20
