Yusuf Pathan harbours hopes of India comeback with a good IPL season

Over the years, the IPL has become a stage for young talents to prove their worth and players have realized the importance of the tournament which can help them build their career for good. Yusuf Pathan, who rose to prominence with a brilliant season of the IPL for Rajasthan Royals in the inaugural edition of the tournament, has seen some phenomenal highs in the league in the past, but a sudden dip in the form saw him finding the exit door of the Indian cricket team since his last appearance in 2012 with the national colours. However, now plying his trade for a new team - Sunrisers Hyderabad - the elder Pathan is confident that a good season can open doors of possibilities for him.

In a recent interview with Cricketnext, Pathan said, “I have still not given up the hope of making it to the Indian team. I think my fans have kept me going till now. They still want me to see in India colors and I still have it in me to prove them right. Even my family has been right behind me. All I have to do right now is concentrate on my game and do well for the team. It’s a tough ask, but then I’m up for the challenge.”  

At the IPL mega-auction in January, Pathan was picked by SRH for an amount of 1.9 crores which brought an end to his seven-year successful stint with Kolkata Knight Riders. While that must have been tough for him to cope with the pressure of new franchise, that would have been eased out due to the presence of former KKR stars like Manish Pandey and Shakib al Hasan, who were also brought by the 2016 edition champions.

“It is always good to have players around with whom you have played earlier, as they know your game and vice versa. Only the team color and the name has changed for us. So that itself is a good plus point for SRH as we can contribute to the team better.”

While most of the teams in the Indian Premier League look for flashy cricket, Sunrisers Hyderabad, as a franchise, have always been inclined towards adopting players with more substance. A closer look at the team sheet of the franchise reveals that they have the most balanced team of them all in the league, and Pathan also attested to the fact.

“I don’t think that we have any problems in our batting order. We have seen in the practice matches too that all the batsmen are giving it their best. I can really say that it’s a well-balanced team. This time in the auction, team management has ensured that we have a solid looking team. If each player plays to his potential, we can reach far," Yusuf concluded.