India's new bowling find Irfan Pathan has a few moretricks up his sleeves which he plans to "showcase" in the finals ofthe triangular series.
"I am working on a few things and will showcasethem in the next few games," revealed Pathan as the tri-series builds to aclimax in the coming week.
"I have done well but I am not satisfied and wantto do better for the team in the future," the bowler said in an interviewin Canberra.
Pathan's profile has undergone a sea change from abench bowler to donning the mantle of India's strike bowler on the present tour.
Ever since he was told of his baptism an hour beforethe start of the Adelaide Test, Pathan has improved so much that captain SauravGanguly is entrusting him with the new ball and asking him to shoulder theresponsibility in the final overs of the innings.
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"When a captain shows his support, it means aworld of difference to my confidence," said Pathan.
Pathan's first wicket came in his third over in theform of Matthew Hayden and then in Sydney, he clean bowled Adam Gilchrist with aswinging yorker and since then he has scalped the dreaded Australianleft-handers in the one-day series too.
Pathan had a fascinating duel with Hayden in Brisbane, watching him dropped atlong and then claiming him caught behind two deliveries later.
Hayden was taunting him a delivery before he was out,smacking a hard drive straight on to Pathan's ankle.
"It hit me hard but I didn't even touch my ankle.He was taunting me but I just wanted to get his wicket. It was doubly satisfyingwhen I got him because he had been dropped earlier and was already well past hishundred."
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Along with wickets, Pathan has shown a remarkableincrease in his pace and has no doubt it would keep growing in the days to come.
"I have no doubt my pace will grow. I started with131kmph but in Brisbane I was touching 140. As my rhythm gets better, the pace willincrease.
"At present my strength is swing, specially theoutgoing swing which troubles left-handers and which is incoming toright-handers." Pathan remembers many faces and voices which encouraged himat various stages of his still nascent career.
"I remember the first time I went to MRF I learntthe little nuances of bowling. I learnt the importance of my right hand and whatit could do to my bowling. I started building strength in gym and when Ireturned, my own people could not recognise me, so strong had I become.
"Playing for Baroda meant I got to interact with Zaheer Khan a lot. He hasbeen a great help, always helping me out and boosting my confidence,"Pathan said.
"I remember in my first year when I was playingthe Ranji Trophy finals, I was copping a lot of stick from the batsmen and hekept saying 'Keep your chin up, keep your head high' don't show it to batsmen'.
"Zaheer also advised me to plant my leg straightin line of the stumps, as earlier I was letting myself run close to the dangerarea all the time. He told me how to transfer my body weight and other finerthings.
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"In my first Irani Trophy, V.V.S. Laxman, whoremains my favourite cricketer and person, came over to me after he had hit ahundred and the game was over. He asked me to look after my bowling and batting.He asked me to seek bowling tips from Zaheer all the time.
"People like Sachin, Rahul and Saurav have alwaysbeen so supportive. I remember Sachin telling Saurav to bring me on in Sydney. Igot the wickets of Steve Waugh and Gilchrist. His mere words meant so much andproved to be very encouraging."
Pathan, whose association with the legendary WasimAkram has generated a controversy in Pakistan, admitted that the 'Sultan ofSwing' had been extremely supportive throughout.
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"Wasim bhai is an idol and I am very grateful tohim. Whenever I have approached him, he has not turned me away."
The young left-arm bowler was also appreciative of the services of bowling coachBruce Reid.
"Reid has kept emphasising to me to rely onrhythm. Whenever I try to go beyond myself, he keeps saying 'Maintain rhythm.Don't get your action across'.
"I now feel nothing is more important thanmaintaining a rhythm. It doesn't matter who you are bowling to as long as youare able to sustain a good rhythm."
It has been a fairytale rise for the young Barodapaceman, getting picked early and then given the exposure through variousunder-19, India 'A' and youth tours.
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Luck has played no mean factor itself since he was waydown the list of fast bowlers, certainly behind Zaheer, Ashish Nehra, AvishkarSalvi, Laxmipathy Balaji and Ajit Agarkar, before injuries to others providedhim with a chance and he has not looked back since then.
PTI
