Did Dhoni get discharged from the team? Irfan Pathan revealed after years, said- ‘I already knew whose hand ..’
Former Team India all -rounder Irfan Pathan has shared an interesting anecdote related to his career after years. During the 2009 tour of New Zealand, he had to sit out of the playing XI continuously, and he has now broken the silence on the reason behind that decision. Irfan also mentioned the conversation with the then coach Gary Kirsten. Now his statement has again refreshed old memories and debates among cricket fans.
Former Team India all -rounder Irfan Pathan and currently the commentator made a big disclosure after years. On the tour of New Zealand in 2009, he did not get a chance to play a single match in the ODI series, and now he told whose decision was directly at that time.
Irfan said in a conversation with The Lallontop, “I sat out in the first, second and third ODIs in New Zealand. The fourth match was washed away by the rain, and did not get a chance in the fifth match. Then I asked the then team coach Gary Kirsten why I was dropped? If I needed to improve, then tell the reason, but the reason was known.”
Kirsten’s answer was, “Some things are not in my hand”. Irfan said, “I asked who is in his hand, but he did not say. Irfan said, I already knew whose hand is in his hand. Captain, coach and management are decided by the captain, coach and management, and Dhoni was the captain at that time. I would not say that the decision was right or wrong, because every captain has the right to run his team.”
Irfan also said that he had no complaint with Dhoni, probably because his own brother Yusuf Pathan was replaced. Irfan further said Kirsten gave another reason that Team wanted a batting all -rounder at number 7. Irfan said, “My brother was a batting all -rounder, I bowling all -rounder.
Let us tell you that Irfan Pathan played 120 ODIs in his career, in which he took 173 wickets and scored more than 1500 runs. However, it took him two years after 2009 to return to ODIs and by returning in 2011, the team started relying on the new bowlers.
