Yusuf: talented of playing extended innings

Hard-hitting batsman, Yusuf Pathan, crushed no words when he said there is more to his batting than just hitting big shots.

In a chat with TOI, Pathan said: "At present, I'm focusing on receiving back in the team and for that I have to score time and again. I am working very hard. Ever since I started playing the game, I have dreamt of on behalf of the country. It's an honor to play for India. If I keep on working hard nothing is not possible."

He added: optimistically, I will win more matches for my country. Of late, I have been playing a lot of Twenty20 cricket so it's good to play in the Challenger Trophy where I have done well in the past. I expect to do well this time, too," Yusuf will play for India Red.

Rejecting the experts' belief that he is not reliable, Yusuf maintain that he has always played for Team India's cause.

"We have a very gifted batting line-up. More often than not, one of the top-order batsmen scores big. The likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh love to bat extended. When I go in to bat, I normally get five to eight overs in which I have to score as many runs as likely. You can't do that without taking risks.

"Sometimes it pays off, sometimes not. It can go either way. But I always try to give it my best shot. I won't be making hundreds every day, but if my quick 30s or 40s can make a difference, I will be a happy man," he said.

Figures back Yusuf's claim. In fact, whenever he has got an chance to bat for a longer period, he has made big a score. He hates being labeled as a Twenty20 or one-day player.

"I can play at any place. If the team administration wants me to bat up the order, I am ready for it. Whenever I spent time in the middle, I have made it count. Last year, I scored a match-winning hundred against New Zealand and then scored another hundred next to South Africa. Besides, I have also scored big hundreds in Ranji and Duleep Trophy over the years.

"I take pleasure in batting for long periods. The T20 craze has started only now, but I have been playing first-class cricket for a decade. I would also like to play Test matches. It's unfair to label me as one-day specialist," he said.

Yusuf also disagree that he is a one-dimensional player: "There is more to my batting than just hitting. You can't do well at the international level if you have limited stroke. I can play all-round the wicket. If you analyze my hundreds, you will see I have scored runs on both sides of the wicket. I like to play forcefully and that's the way I have played cricket all my life and I will carry on doing so."

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Irfan takes encouragement from Yusuf

Yusuf Pathan, who has made a stain with his volatile batting, has also made a feeling on his brother Irfan, who now needs to follow in his footsteps.

The younger of the two Pathans said he hoped to duplicate the presentation of his brother, who made a quick-fire 47 next to Deccan Chargers for Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday night ten ways to being named Man of the Match.

"Hopefully my parents will also be praying for me, when I'm on the earth," he said.
"I'm surely looking for better performance from myself and its departing to happen. There has been some perfection with my bowling and batting in the IPL matches so distant and I will like to do more. The more balls I face and more balls I bowl in the matches I am going to get better and better."

"If I stay playing well and do what I'm at best... presentation will come," the Delhi Daredevils players said adding that he wished to move ahead by taking one pace at a time and not putting too much force on himself.

Thursday sees Delhi play Deccan Chargers, and Pathan said the game would be an motivating contest. "Deccan Chargers and we both haven't done that well," he said. "We want to make certain that we play really well next to the Chargers.

"Obviously, we haven't completed well as a team so far in the IPL this period. There are still five more matches to go and if we play well in these entire matches and win, we will still qualify and if that doesn't happen we still require making sure that we are playing for our pride," he added.

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