Mumbai
Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has finally opened up about the circumstances surrounding his abrupt removal from the national team in 2009, under the captaincy of MS Dhoni. Pathan, who burst onto the scene at 19 and quickly became a regular across formats, faced a crushing setback when he was dropped from the ODI squad after a series against Sri Lanka.
Pathan recalled being benched for multiple matches during a 2009 tour of New Zealand, despite having played a match-winning role alongside his brother, Yusuf, in Sri Lanka shortly before. He approached then-head coach Gary Kirsten for an explanation.
Kirsten provided two reasons for Pathan's exclusion. The first was that "things are not in my hand," implying a decision made at a higher level, which Pathan understood to be the captain's choice. The second reason was that the team was "looking for a batting all-rounder at No. 7". Pathan, a bowling all-rounder, noted the team opted for his brother, Yusuf, a batting all-rounder, over him, despite believing both could have been accommodated today.
Pathan refrained from judging the decision, acknowledging every captain's right to manage their team. After a three-year hiatus, he returned in 2012 but played just 12 more ODIs before his international career concluded.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has provisionally finalized the window for the 2027 Men's ODI World Cup, scheduling the tournament to run from 4 October to 21 November 2027.
Mexico defeated South Africa 2-0 in the opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
MS Dhoni made a welcome return to a cricket field on Wednesday as he attended the opening ceremony of the inaugural Jharkhand T20 League in Ranchi.
Ronaldo Fires Blank as Portugal Beat Nigeria in World Cup Warm-Up.
The Australian Team endured a nightmare start in the opening ODI against Bangladesh in Dhaka on Thursday.
A sarcastic post from Atletico Madrid targeting their city rivals has sparked widespread discussion among football fans online
.jpg)
Both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo can be seen facing each other in FIFA World Cup 2026, giving fans one final chapter of their iconic rivalry.
Sahibzada Farhan has been entrusted with the captaincy, while Abdul Samad, who has represented Pakistan in five T20Is, will serve as vice-captain.
Lionel Messi marked his return from a muscle injury by stepping off the bench to score a penalty in Argentina's 3-0 victory over Iceland in their final war-up match ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026.
Hardik Pandya ruled out of the upcoming three- match ODI series against Afghanistan.
Indian all-rounder bowls full quota at BCCI Centre of Excellence, boosting prospects ahead of upcoming international assignments.
India A vs Sri Lanka A : Vaibhav Sooryavanshi disappointed by his start in Tri- series, after getting out for 14.
Ghaziabad Murder Accused Killed in Police Encounter
Hopes for a breakthrough in US-Iran negotiations were put on hold after Presiden...
DK Shivakumar Set to Take Oath as Karnataka Chief Minister on June 3
Sehwag Trolls Sai Sudharsan After Back-to-Back Hit-Wicket Dismissals in IPL Play...
India has confirmed signing a BrahMos missile agreement with Vietnam, marking a...
