Many cricketers from Imran Khan to Kevin Pietersen have come out of retirement to represent their country once again. Speaking on the same line, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has also expressed his desire to come out of his retirement to play for his country once again.
The all-rounder from Baroda called time on his 16-year career in January earlier this year. Pathan did exceedingly well soon after he bursts on to the scene with outrageous control on his swing. He was also a handy batsman down the order scoring some crucial runs for his side. However, he had a fallout soon after India’s World Cup victory in 2011 and went out of the reckoning.
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Since then, Irfan Pathan has been a stalwart in domestic cricket and took up a job with Jammu & Kashmir to improve cricket in the state. Recently, during a chat with Suresh Raina in an Instagram Live, Pathan said he is ready to give his heart and soul if the selectors give him a year to prepare with the assurance that they will consider him again.
“Communication is very important. If they come and tell me ‘Irfan you have retired but you prepare for one year and you will be available for India selection’ then I will leave everything, give my heart and soul and will only do hard work. But who will do the communication?” said Irfan Pathan.
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Going further, Suresh Raina also agreed that he is ready to give everything if the selectors assure that they will consider the veteran batsman from Uttar Pradesh for the World Cup. Raina played his last match in 2018 and former chairman of selectors MSK Prasad confirmed that he didn’t score enough runs in domestic cricket to make a comeback.
“Tell me if they say ‘Suresh Raina you have six months and there is a World Cup, we will consider you provided you perform well’ so won’t you give your all?” Irfan asked, to which Raina replied: “Yes, absolutely.”