Boria Majumdar
It’s now more than two decades since Irfan Pathan announced himself as an all-rounder of genuine promise. Though he couldn’t quite live up to the early potential, he still played a huge part in India winning the first T20 World Cup in 2007. Now a commentator with coaching ambitions, Irfan spoke exclusively to Boria Majumdar, RevSportz editor-in-chief, about the England tour, Mohammed Siraj’s efforts, Shubman Gill’s leadership, and the vexing Bumrah-workload issue.
Boria: How do you look back to that Mohammed Siraj moment?
Irfan: Thank you very much for having me, Boria Bhai. You asked the perfect question at the start. If you look at the whole series, India played so much better than England. The numbers would have been different if things would’ve gone our way in terms of catches, batting collapses, partnerships and all. But the way they fought back in Birmingham and at The Oval, I think it was also one of the best series in Test cricket whose commentary panel I was a part of. Also, from the point of view of where I was watching the last game at home, I actually called up my son – who was playing in his room – and asked him to watch Mohammed Siraj play.
I told him how much that guy has struggled in his earlier days due to lack of facilities, which is quite similar to my situation. His father was an Auto Rikshaw driver. Siraj’s journey from there to where he has reached now is a journey-of-a-lifetime inspiration. He has inspired youngsters irrespective of where they belong. When you see Mohammed Siraj bowl the kind of spell he bowled on the last day, you get inspired. His determination to not think about anything else, and just to make sure to win the game for the country, was what he did. Starting speed of 135 (kmph) to a speed of 145 on the fifth day of the fifth Test match is unbelievable. It shows the kind of effort that he has made for himself, his team and his country. I think it was the one of the best series we have played.
Boria: Mohammed Siraj bowled 186 overs in totals during this series. As a top bowler yourself, how do you see this?
Irfan: When are you playing for India and you’re there, It’s like a war. When playing in a team, the first responsibility is towards your team. Everything (else) comes second. Country is definitely there, but the first and foremost, responsibility of a player is towards the team that you cannot let down. When the series is on, things are pretty difficult to manage – leadership, coaches, captain, et cetera – so the pressure directly falls on the other person if you think a lot about workload. I have spoken a lot about this and people might have taken those words in a different way, but as ex-cricketers, we feel so proud when India wins.
I know it’s not possible that every time we will win, but the right thing has to be done every time and the right thing is, once you go on the field, you have to think the way Siraj thought. I’m not saying no one else thinks that way, but some have different criteria in terms of mindset or past injuries or the way body reacts. Yes, I know that cricket is too much, but there are gaps as well. There are series with lower ICC ranking countries that you can miss, but important series like England, Australia, one has put full effort like Mohammed Siraj did because it’s your responsibility towards the team.
Boria: When you are told by surgeons, medical experts, that your body may not hold up to take the risk of playing, how do deal with it?
Irfan: One thing is that a guy like Jasprit Bumrah is very unique. They are like treasure with the kind of skill they have. I was the first one to say that the kind of skill he has is the best skill we have ever had. If you talk about the history of Indian cricket, he is the guy who can bowl inswing, outswing, bouncer, dipping slow one, yorker with a new ball et cetera. He started with inswing. He is now doing outswing with a beautiful wrist position, and the kind of record he has is outstanding. Now, coming to the question, how difficult it is for a guy like Jasprit Bumrah to handle things when injured. I would say it is very difficult, and that is why the support system is there.
I was at the NCA and was doing a coaching course for two weeks, and that time he was coming back from the back injury and I could see that his progression was very clear. He was bowling five overs one day, he would take a break the next day, and then he would come again and bowl for six overs. He’s very clear. The team is very clear in terms of recovery and the plan. So, proper process is in place before the game time starts. What I’m saying is that process is not for during the games. When Joe Root came, he bowled the five-over spell, which he generally does and he has gotten Joe Root out 11 times.
I’m talking about the Lord’s Test match and Joe Root and Ben Duckett had a partnership. It was very very important for captain Shubman Gill that his No. 1 bowler bowls 1-2 overs, because if he does that, there’s a high chance for him (Root) to get out to Bumrah, because he had done it before and could have done it again. It could also have been possible that he did not get the wicket even after bowling those two overs, but you must take the chances. My thing was that, why not take chances and get restricted to those five overs? In the same game, Ben Stokes bowled a spell of nine overs on the fourth day, being an all-rounder. Jasprit Bumrah goes to fine leg so there is recovery in different areas. He gets proper space and I’m not raising a question on Bumrah’s attitude. No, I will not be a fool to do that, because he is someone who gives Test cricket priority, especially after the back injury, which a lot of other guys have not given.
What I’m trying to say is once you are there on the field, it is like a war and you go all out. Now if Indian cricket decides that’s how they will manage him, then they can, but I don’t think desired results will be received until and unless we push things at the time of importance like the Lord’s Test. If we keep managing the workload during the game, and keep following the recovery structure, then then how will we get the result? By all means, give every bit of importance to Jasprit Bumrah because there is not a second one like him, but workload management and recovery should be something to do between the Test matches when there was almost nine days of gap. When someone is playing three out of five Test matches, then restricting yourself within the spells as well will make things difficult for the team. I can guarantee that this won’t fetch desired result for the team.
Boria: How impressed were you with Shubman Gill the batter?
Irfan: Most impressed. I think he played his best cricket as far as Test cricket is concerned. It was a tough England series and definitely not easy for him. When someone is a batsman, they wear a single hat, but when they become a captain, they wears two hats. For any player to have an upgrade in the role, that too something that gives you more responsibility, it is very difficult. And to show such a performance that Shubman Gill has shown, I think it’s an outstanding effort and shows his character. He has proved that he is someone who loves responsibility, knows how to react and move forward with that responsibility, and this was the most important thing for the longevity of Indian cricket.
Captain Shubman Gill being helped by the batsman Shubman Gill was a great thing to happen, and he did wonderfully well. It was not like England didn’t plan things against him. Sometimes, they got the wicketkeeper a few steps ahead because he was playing in front, then he had to change. He got out at Lord’s, but then he came back and again scored runs. The consistency against different planning was outstanding. And about the technical aspect I have been talking about during the commentary as well, his hand is coming very close to his hip and that’s why he’s getting much more time than what he used to get before. Before, his hand used to come around. When that happens, you’re going to get late, especially with the inswing deliveries, but now he has worked on it and is still going to keep working on it. He is such a great timer of the ball and he has learnt the art of timing the ball even better during this England series. The best thing I liked is that he was preparing during the IPL for the England series with the red ball. It shows the value he has for Indian cricket, and it shows what he wants to achieve as a leader.
Boria: With Shubman Gill being all format, how do you see him from the aspect of leadership?
Irfan: If you look around, there must be a certain type of continuity in leadership. Nowhere would you see that three captains are there in three different formats. Take an example, say you’re playing against South Africa in all three formats. Now imagine the people sitting at the back, say Rahul Dravid or Ravi Shastri and, now, Gautam Gambhir. How easy or difficult will it be to work with three different captains? So, I understand what Indian cricket is trying to do now. They are trying to have some stability in terms of leadership because it’s a transition. And stability in terms of batting as well, so it is very important for Shubman to be there in the leadership. I totally agree with that.
I think the message should go out loud and clear to every player – more than the media or the fans – that who the engine of this train is, so that the train reaches a single destination, no matter the speed. Shubmam Gill’s captaincy will get better with time, he’ll learn the art of leadership more, but what he already has done is great. He also has his batting ability in place. He’s been performing outstandingly in one-day cricket and is the vice-captain there. Now with T20 cricket, which he was playing regularly before the last one year. The selection committee had a discussion with him, that as soon as you get free from Test cricket, you will get you back. There are a lot of questions in the media, I understand, but Indian cricket goes according to a plan and that’s how it has always been. Selection board, management has the responsibility and I think that going in one direction is important. And this is what it seems like Indian cricket is doing with Shubman Gill right now.
The second part will be published tomorrow
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Watch the first part of the interview here
🚨 Irfan Pathan Exclusive | National Sports Day Special
The former India all-rounder opens up on Siraj’s meteoric rise, Bumrah’s workload, Gill’s leadership credentials and India’s famous Oval Test triumph.
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