By Ilyas Khan Pathan, TwoCircles.net,
Vadodara, Gujarat: In the recent cricket world cup, Team India’s performance was not at par with the expectations of Indian Cricket fans. Ending up having a draw with England and loosing with South African team smashed the high emotions created by “De Ghumake” theme song of the world cup. Cricket experts are blaming poor performance of Indian bowling but Mehdi Hasan Shaikh, former coach of Pathan brothers, Yusuf and Irfan Pathan, thinks otherwise.
Talking to TwoCircles.net he said, “Indian Bowling is not bad, Zahir Khan, the main striking bowler, is consistently performing well and taking wickets.” He also emphasized that cricket can’t be won with only bowling, even good bowling sometimes did not result in wickets and sometimes good luck of Batsman goes against the bowler. He advised team India, “to be calm and composed in the critical conditions and play according to the situation.”
Yusuf and Irfan Pathan with Mehdi Hasan Shaikh
Talking about Irfan, Mehdi Shaikh said that, what India is missing today is the bowler like Irfan Pathan. Irfan is off the field since one and half year due to back pain but according to Mr. Shaikh, the back pain was not very serious. He said, “Treatment is completed now and Insha Allah, we will see him again in Team India in the series after the world cup.”
Talking about the views that the “fiery striker”Yusuf Pathan, could not perform well in the world cup, he said, “Every player can’t perform well in every match. World Cup is not over yet, and Insha Allah we will see him striking again in the full form.”
Talking about Yusuf’s aggressions on the ground, Mehdi Shaikh compared the world of movies to that of cricket where an actor plays a role of hero and villain but villain of the film is not a bad person in his personal life. Like that Yusuf is normal and cool off the field but his passion to win on the field makes him aggressive.” He further said, “Yusuf is a Hero for Team India and Villain for the opposite team.
Remembering the older days he informed that “Irfan and Yusuf were 13 or 14 years old when their father, Mehmood Khan brought them to me. I used to charge Rs.10/- per player. They could afford the fees but had to walk from the house to the ground. After few days they use to come through bicycle. Both of them were at par with the other players but what attracted to me towards them was their passion and Hard work. He said,
“They were very hard working and since they belong to a religious family they stop playing after Azaan and offer Namaz,” added the coach. Importantly, even though his student, Pathan Brothers are now an International Player, Mehdi Shaikh said that for him both are same.
On the issue of his favorite between the Pathan brothers, Shaikh said, “Both are different in their style Irfan is a lefty batsman and a faster bowler where as Yusuf is a hard hitter of the ball and an off spinner.”
On team India being his favorite team for world cup, Mehdi Shaikh, former coach of Pathan brothers said, “Of course India is better but let the first round be of the games to be over, then the picture will be more clear.”