Aug 21 2009
He is a Star
Is Yusuf Pathan the new rising star on the Indian cricket horizon? Is he the answer to the ODI squad’s prayers for a quality utility cricketer? On figures it would appear that Yusuf is over rated, that a lot is being said and hyped up about someone whose record on the face of it is pretty modest. He has played just one Twenty20 international and has scored 15 albeit at a strike rate of 187.50. In seven innings from 12 ODIs he has scored 96 runs at a strike rate of 107.86 besides picking up six wickets.
And yet the 26-year-old from Baroda is being hailed as the next best thing that could happen to Indian cricket, a future star and so on. Is Yusuf worthy of all this adulation and attention? Is he a winning candidate? I would like to think that the answer is yes to both these questions. And as to why I think this way I can only say that some cricketers go beyond facts, figures and statistics. The one thing that stands out in his favour is his confident attitude. It is this that should take him far. One saw that in his very first big match – the memorable Twenty20 World Cup final in Johannesburg last year. He was sent in first as a surprise tactic and understood his brief clearly evidence of this coming quickly when he hit Mohammad Asif out of the ground. Talk about daredevilry!
It was in the Indian Premier League that Yusuf’s image acquired a whole new dimension. His big hitting saw him acquire a strike rate of almost 180 over 16 matches – next only to Virender Sehwag among those who played over six matches - on his way to scoring 435 runs with four half centuries. He also recorded the fastest fifty in the competition - off 21 balls against Deccan Chargers. In the tournament Yusuf proved he had the ideal temperament too. Aware that he had got a big stage on which to perform he rose to the occasion. There were no signs of nerves and far from being overawed by the big names on the opposition line ups he seemed to relish the challenge. In the final against Chennai Super Kings Rajasthan Royals appeared out of the game as the asking rate climbed above ten. Yusuf however remained unperturbed. He pulled Lakshmipathy Balaji for two boundaries and then in an over from Muthiah Muralitharan he twice sent the ball into the crowd over
long-on. By the time he was done, he had scored 56 off just 39 balls and given his team an avenue. Shane Warne and Sohail Tanvir then provided the finishing touches to complete a memorable title triumph.
Yusuf’s power-hitting had been pretty influential in several earlier matches as well. He hit 61 off 28 balls against Deccan Chargers, 55 off 33 against Kolkata Knight Riders and 68 in 37 in the return match against Deccan Chargers. As only to be expected from his pyrotechnics at this level, Yusuf has pummeled attacks around the domestic circuit with his effortless and flawless hitting. His three first-class hundreds have come at a strike-rate of over 100.
MS Dhoni his captain at the national level was leading the opposition in the IPL final. He was well aware of the threat Yusuf posed. “He is one of those players you have to get out,” said Dhoni. “You can’t let him stay for long because he will score runs and that, too, at a fast clip.” Warne realizing Yusuf’s unusual talent gave him a lot of responsibility in the tournament and when it was all over he hailed his performance as “fantastic”.
During the IPL it was clear that Yusuf was not a mere slogger but a scientific hitter of the ball. The manner in which he launched into his lofted shots, the clean strike off the middle of the bat, the perfect follow through and the way the ball soared high into the sky and into the various stands was something that had fans delirious with joy. He certainly had a major role in Rajasthan Royals winning the title and as a bonus his subtle off spin saw him pick up a few wickets. The man of the match award in the final was the icing on the cake.
A major plus point is Yusuf’s ability to bat just about anywhere. In the Twenty20 World Cup final he opened the batting. In ODIs he has gone in at No 4 or No 5 as a pinch hitter as the team wanted to make adroit use of his natural ability to hit the ball hard and high. One only hopes that this is going to be a surprise tactic used now and then and not on a regular basis. One would not want Yusuf’s path to go downhill as it happened to his younger brother. A few years ago Irfan Pathan was shaping up pretty well to emerge as Indian cricket’s next all rounder until Greg Chappell ruined his career while needlessly using him conspicuously in his damaging policy of experimentation. Indian cricket needed Irfan the bowler much more than Irfan the batsman and his place was in the late order. By promoting him as a pinch hitter all too often Chappell was responsible for destroying his natural qualities as a bowler and it was not really a surprise when he lost
his place in the side. The two incidentally have appeared together in a few ODIs making them the first brothers to represent India together since the Amarnath siblings Surinder and Mohinder played in Pakistan in 1978.
Yusuf carries the fight into the enemy camp with thrilling counter attacks. During his quite unforgettable 50 not out off 29 balls against England at Indore, he hammered Steve Harmison successively for two sixes and a four in the last over of the innings making sure that his team could post a match winning total instead of a challenging one.
Yusuf has earned a name for himself as a big hitter but he is also more than a handy off spinner. With Harbhajan Singh around and with Sehwag and Yuvraj all too ready to lend a helping hand his opportunities have been rather limited. Even so he has been pretty useful and one gets the distinct impression that he could be highly successful if given the full quota of overs.
Irfan has freely acknowledged his elder brother’s prodigious talent. “I always thought he was the more talented. It’s just that I got lucky and got the big break sooner.” So now we know that Yusuf is not over rated. There are some cricketers who are not to be judged on facts, figures and statistics. They are to be judged on their attitude and Yusuf Pathan wears that on his sleeve.
