“I still have my dream very much alive to play for India”

Image courtesy of: Zimbio

India left-arm pace bowler Irfan Pathan believes that he is capable of making his international comeback despite not having represented his country since October 2012.

However, Pathan is hoping to attract the attention of the national selectors with his performances for Baroda in the Ranji Trophy.

“Every player who plays first class cricket dreams to play for India; that’s why I am in the Ranji Trophy,” he told reporters. “I still have my dream very much alive to play for India. I just want to keep my mouth shut and keep playing. My aim is to keep performing, keep improving, and keep doing the right thing.

“If I perform, I am sure the people (selectors) who are there will notice. My performance will speak for me.”

Pathan has struggled to stay fit in recent years, but the 31-year-old insists that his injury woes are a thing of the past.

“I have got back to full fitness. Before the season I was preparing well and the best part was that I was fit from the start,” he said. “All I needed was to perform really well, which I did against Gujarat. The pitch was slow and flat,, but I got six wickets on that wicket and that gave me a lot of confidence.

“More because when you get wickets in a slow track by bowling someone out or a leg before wicket, that gives you a lot of confidence. I carried the confidence also against Punjab in my second match, took wickets and we won the match.”

Pathan may be 31 as of now, but he still believes that his international career is far from over.

“Right now the World No.1 Test bowler Dale Steyn is 32. So I don’t think I will have a problem,” he said. “Also India is currently looking for an experienced seaming all-rounder. I can even mentor the young seamers.”