J&K senior cricket team recently finished its 2018-19season after being knocked out of Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy tournament.
In its last event of the season, J&K cricket team leadby Parvez Rasool and its mentor –cum-player Irfan Pathan failed to make it tothe next round after finishing at fourth place on points table. J&K in theseason 2018-19 failed to make it to next round in all the formats of One Day,Tests and T20 cricket.
As the season just finished the focus has now shifted to therole of J&K’s mentor-cum-player and former International cricketer IrfanPathan in J&K cricket. Upon his arrival in J&K last year, Irfan Pathanhad made it clear that he will be with J&K Cricket Association (JKCA) forone year and will think beyond it at the end of the season. During J&K’slast match of the season which was T20 match against Manipur, Irfan Pathanafter below par performance in first five matches opted to stay out. J&Kused youngsters for that match and won it.
JKCA had roped in Irfan Pathan to nurture the youngsters aswell as lead J&K team in the national events. As for nurturing Pathan wasinvolved at grass root level and held couple of talent hunt camps as well.However, his main role was leading J&K team. Apart from J&K’s averageperformance, his own performance was not up to the level what one expected. Hefailed in One-Dayers and T20 format while as had satisfactory season as an all-rounderin Tests. In Ranji Trophy he scored 428runs and took 19 wickets for J&K. He had slow start but picked both inbowling and batting in later part of the tournament. Despite that J&Kfailed to qualify for next round.
In five T20 matches played for J&K, Irfan went on toscore only 51 runs and take four wickets while as in One day format, he playedeight matches in which he scored 79 runs and took eight wickets. As per his ownstandards the performances in limited over format was below par and onlyworsened things for J&K cricket as for selection is concerned. In hispresence many deserving had to sit down or one can say he took place of manyyoungsters. Apart from that there was always question mark on his fitness.
Comparatively last year’s J&K performance in One Dayersand T20 was better than this season while as in Tests was almost same. In thatperspective with the involvement of Pathan the performance instead of going upwent down.
On talent front he may get due for nurturing the youth andgiving under-19 and 23 level cricketer’s chance in the senior teams. He willalso be credited by unearthing the talent of Rasikh Salam, an Under-17 levelcricketer who was picked up by Mumbai Indian’s for Indian Premier League.
But overall his involvement with J&K has been averageand controversy filled. All but one selectors appointed by JKCA resigned justbefore the season citing interference in team selection from Irfan Pathan. JKCAwas forced to hire outside selectors, mostly on the recommendations of Pathan.His path in dominating the cricket affairs and being involved with most of thedecisions was made smooth with JKCA having no full fledged body at present. Andhis close chemistry with Parvez Rasool made things easy for him to makedecisions. With season over the big question for JKCA would be whether tocontinue with Pathan or let him go for the next season.
Chief Executive Officer of JKCA Syed Ashqiue Bukhari saidthat JKCA has not made any decision and will only be made once KJKCA will havemeet on this with cricketer.
“His initial contract with JKCA was for one season. We areyet to discuss on the future of Irfan Pathan with J&K Cricket. The seasonhas just finished. We will sit together with Irfan Pathan and then see whatwill happen,” Bukari said.
As per expert’s former Ranji trophy skipper and coach ofJ&K Ranji Trophy team Abdul Qayoom Bagaw, JKCA failed in utilize theservices of Pathan fully.
“There is no doubt that he has been great cricketer but hisprime as a player is well behind him. As a player JKCA failed to utilize hisservices properly,” Bagaw said.
About his continuity he said, “I am no one to answer thatquestion and it to JKCA officials to decide. They should review the wholeseason and then decide whether to go ahead out leave him”.
Another former Ranjitrophy cricketer and one of the selectors who resigned on differences withIrfan Pathan, Zahoor Ahmad Bhat said that Irfan Pathan as a player was never agreat choice.
“He failed as a player and as mentor got involved withthings he shouldn’t have. We could have gained lot from his as mentor but whenyou got him as player as well that complicated things. He should have only beenmentor and not a player at all,” Bhat said.
About Pathan’s continuity with team, he said , ” Not at allas player. Instead of Pathan JKCA should rope in any current top cricketer fora period of two or three years to set the base strong. There are lot of playerswho can contribute in the team performance and Pathan is not one of them”.