In Multan - the land of Pathans, it is an Indian Pathan who has impressed one and all with his exploits
on the cricket field and his humility.
In just three weeks, young Irfan Pathan has become a household name inPakistan and even among cricket stars, he is a star in his own right.
Pakistani greats Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and former Australian captain Ian Chappell are gushingat the superb performance of the left-arm seamer in the one-day series and the Testwhere he made an impressive contribution to India's win.
Many of those who saw Pathan are reminded of young Akram and predict he has the potential to become a top fastbowler. He is much in demand by autograph hunters and journalists but all this has not gone to the head of the19-year-old Baroda speedster.
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"I will never be carried away with the attention I am getting. I am keeping my feet very much on the ground andinsha Allah I will keep doing so," he says.
It has been a phenomenal rise for the youngster ever since making his Test debut against Australia in the secondTest at Adelaide late last year, and has improved by leaps and bounds after every match.
Pathan believes there is no shortcut to success and whatever he has achieved so far has been because of his hardwork. "Yeh sab Allah ki meherbaani hai," he says.
The big-hearted Pathan picked up a career-best haul of 4-100 in the first inningsat Multan and bowled an outstanding spell in the second to claim two wickets to play his part in India'sfirst Test win on Pakistani soil.
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The strapping paceman who comes from a religious background says his faith in the Almighty helps him do betteron the field. "Offering namaaz not only makes a person humble but it also helps meconcentrate better. That is one way I keep improving my performance," he says.
Pathan took the vital wickets of Taufeeq Umar, Yasir Hameed, Abdul Razzaq and Saqlain Mushtaq, all dangerousbatsmen in their own right, and then had Moin Khan leg before in the second innings before claiming the last wicket ofYousuf Younana to bring about India's moment of glory in this
dusty city steeped in history.
"With every match, I am getting mentally stronger. I am gaining a lot of confidence which is very important for a fastbowler. But I still have to improve a lot," he says modestly.
Pathan, on his part, credits his remarkable rise to the encouragement from his familyand teammates. "It is because of the support of my family members and the encouragement of my seniors that I have been able to achievewhatever I have."
Although Pakistan's Shoaib Akhtar may not have made much of an impression in the path-breaking Indo-Pak series, Pathanhas a lot of respect for the tearaway, having learnt a lot by watching him as a youngster.
"I have always watched the style and approach of other fast bowlers. I have learnt lot from watching Shoaib bhai," headmits.
His seniors, including batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar, have been very protective of the new pacesensation and are keen to ensure Pathan blossoms into his full potential without falling into the intense media scrutinyabout everything he does.
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Tendulkar has implored the media to keep "Irfan Pathan as Irfan Pathan."
"He has tremendous potential. He has the knack of picking up wickets. At times, he may be expensive, but that isbecause he tries to get wickets. But he still has a long way to go," Tendulkarhas said.
Pathan has also earned handsome praise from his stand-in captain Rahul Dravid who is impressed by the Baroda lad'sprogress in a such short period.
Veteran leg-spinner Anil Kumble, who played a stellar role in India's triumph, alsoappreciates Pathan's improvement with every match.
"Its amazing how much he has improved. It is important and augurs well for Indian cricket," he remarks.
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One of the more aggressive bowlers to come out of India in recent times, Pathan says he does not believe inflaunting his aggression needlessly.
"Aggression is something that comes to a person naturally. I believe in using it when it matters, otherwise no one willtake you seriously."
Pathan, who came into the limelight after his nine-wicket haul in the under-19 Asia Cup in Pakistan lastyear, says his knowledge of conditions here helped him a lot.
"Since I have already played matches in Pakistan, I knew what to expect.This has helped me a lot," he adds.
PTI
