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.