Latest news with #then-India
India Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- India Today
MS Dhoni to blame? Irfan Pathan hints at career-threatening selection call in 2009
Irfan Pathan explained how MS Dhoni played a key role in his 2009 exclusion from the Indian team, despite some strong performances. Pathan burst onto the scene as a teenager for the Indian team and proved himself as a trustworthy all-rounder. However, his fairytale run with the side would have an unexpected twist when he was dropped from the team in to Lallantop, Pathan narrated a story from 2009 where he went up to then-India coach Gary Kirsten to ask why he wasn't part of the playing XI for the series against New Zealand. The all-rounder had put up a strong performance during the Sri Lanka series, before the one against the Read: Did Rohit Sharma pull a PR stunt with Sydney Test snub? Irfan Pathan breaks silence The former all-rounder said he wanted to know the reason why he was left out of the side, as he could work on any shortcomings and come back stronger.'It was back in 2009, when we were in New Zealand. Before that, my brother (Yusuf Pathan) and I had won matches in Sri Lanka. The situation in which we had pulled a win – if it had been anyone else in our place, they wouldn't have been dropped for a year. In that match against Sri Lanka, we needed 60 runs from just 27–28 balls, and we won it from there,' said Pathan.'In New Zealand, I was benched for the first match, the second match, and the third match as well. The fourth match was a draw because of rain. I wasn't in the final match either. Then I asked Gary sir why I had been dropped. If there was something I needed to improve, he could tell me, but I wanted to know the reason I was left out.'Kirsten's two reasonsPathan continued by saying that Kirsten gave him two reasons that led to his omission. The former all-rounder said that the first was because of 'things that were not in his hands' at the time. Pathan said that he understood it was Dhoni who had made the call, as the then-captain made the final call on the playing XI.'Kirsten gave me two reasons. He said, 'There are things that are not in my hand.' Those were Gary's exact words. I asked whose hands it was in, but he didn't tell me. I already knew whose hands it was in. The playing XI is decided by the captain's choice. The decision rests with the captain, coach, and management. Dhoni was the captain at that time. I won't get into whether that decision was right or wrong, because every captain has the right to run the team in his own way,' said former cricketer said that the second reason Kirsten gave was that the team was looking for a batting all-rounder at the time at No.7, a role which went to his brother Yusuf.'The second answer was that they were looking for a batting all-rounder at No. 7. Fair enough — my brother was a batting all-rounder, while I was a bowling all-rounder. The two were different from each other, but there was only room for one in the team. Nowadays, if you ask whether two all-rounders are needed, people would gladly take both," said would make a comeback to the ODI team in 2011 and went on to represent India in 12 matches the following year. The former all-rounder scored 172 runs and 19 wickets in 2012, which proved to be his final year in international career finally came to an end in 2020 when he announced retirement from all forms of the game.- Ends
Hindustan Times
05-08-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Sachin Tendulkar, James Anderson nowhere at India-England trophy presentation named after them, ECB silent
The inaugural Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy between England and India came to a thrilling end on Monday afternoon as Shubman Gill's side registered a thrilling six-run win in front of a jam-packed crowd at the Oval. Heading into the fifth and final day, England needed 35 runs while India required four wickets. The last day started off with Jamie Overton smashing two boundaries off the bowling of Prasidh Krishna, bringing the target down to 27. The inaugural Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy concluded with the scoreline 2-2. (PTI) However, Mohammed Siraj finally got his moment to shine as he led India to a memorable victory. He took three out of the remaining four wickets, completing a remarkable fifer. In the end, the visitors registered a six-run win to level the five-match series at 2-2. However, it must be mentioned that neither James Anderson nor Sachin Tendulkar was present for the trophy presentation. No one from Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi's family was also spotted handing over the Pataudi medal to Shubman Gill and Ben Stokes. The reasons for their absence are not known at this time. However, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) continues to maintain its silence. Before the start of the series between India and England, the ECB confirmed their decision to retire the Pataudi Trophy and rename it after two modern-day greats - James Anderson and Sachin Tendulkar. The Pataudi Trophy was launched before the 2007 series between the two countries. On that occasion, Mansoor Ali Khan had himself presented it to the then-India captain, Rahul Dravid, for winning the series 1-0. Also Read: 'When Siraj took the last wicket, as much as I was disappointed…': England coach McCullum hails India in 'best series' Both James Anderson and Sachin Tendulkar were present during the June trophy launch. However, the duo was nowhere to be seen at the end presentation ceremony. Siraj's lion-hearted effort Mohammed Siraj finished as the leading wicket-taker in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy with 23 scalps to his name. In the Oval Test against England, Siraj returned with nine wickets, including a crucial fifer in the second innings. Siraj took the final wicket for India as his ripping yorker castled the stumps of Gus Atkinson, leading to some joyous scenes in the Indian dressing room. In the morning session of Day 4, Siraj dropped the crucial catch of Harry Brook, and England's No.5 went on to smash 111 runs. However, Siraj took it upon himself to undo his mistake, and as fate would have it, the pacer did so and in some style. "I thought the match was gone. Had we got Harry Brook out before lunch, things would have been different. There would have been no fifth day. That was a game-changing moment. But we came back strongly after that," Siraj said after leading India to a victory. "When I woke up this morning, I told myself I would change the game. I opened Google, downloaded a 'believe' image and put that as my phone wallpaper," he added.
