Our Olympic Medalists Truly Inspire Me: Irfan Pathan

Irfan Pathan on his recent heroics in Sri Lanka, World Cup dreams, brother Yusuf and more in a dil se chat with Ahmedabad times.

The swing is back, and so is that charming smile which makes women go weak in the knees. Selected against Sri Lanka only after Vinay Kumar got injured, Irfan Pathan responded with two consecutive man-of-the-match performances. Not only did he finish as the most successful Indian bowler in the ODIs, Irfan also cemented his place in Team India for the upcoming T20 World Cup.

As we catch up with the star all-rounder at his bungalow, Irfan is in a jovial mood. As someone knocks on the gate, the prankster yells, "Arre, ghar pe koi nahin hai!" before bursting into laughter and opening it. With a childlike glee, he tells us, "I got back to Vadodara only on Sunday afternoon and ammi prepared four yummy dishes in the evening, including the mouth-watering biryani! For us, a family dinner is the best way to celebrate a special occasion." And least you thought he would rest on his laurels, Irfan quickly dispels those fears, "I am at home for this holy month but soon, I will be off to National Cricket Academy Bangalore for some intense practise sessions." Excerpts from the interview:

CONQUERING LANKA

Destiny played its part, but I worked hard too! Sometimes, pressure makes you do stupid things. I am glad that I kept my cool in tight situations. I love taking challenges head on and this performance has given me a lot of confidence!

EMOTIONAL OUTBURSTS

Because of the experiences I have been through in life, I have calmed down a lot. But on a couple of occasions (during his five wicket haul and hitting a winning four), I was so involved in the moment that I celebrated in an animated manner. Sometimes, it's important to let yourself go!

YUVI ROCKS!

Just a day before the World Cup team was announced, I was at Yuvraj Singh's home. I am delighted to see him back and it's nothing short of a miracle! He looks very confident and that's bad news for our opponents!

T20 WORLD CUP DREAMS

Quite a few members from the 2007 World Cup winning team are there and that experience will help. Also, the fact that we have played in Sri Lanka recently will act as a huge advantage.

'OLYMPIC' TALK

In Sri Lanka, Gautam (Gambhir) was following every Indian athlete's performance in London very closely and kept us updated. I was following my favourites closely on the internet - Saina Nehwal and Vijender Singh. I am truly inspired by these six medallists and believe some of them will win gold next time!

GAME FREAK!

Of late, I have developed a keen interest in online gaming and I love slaying zombies on the web (laughs)!

ALI THE GREAT

If I ever feel low, I just look at Muhammad Ali's career graph for inspiration. Besides, I love some of his sayings!

YUSUF WILL BE BACK

As professional cricketers, we know that ups and downs are a part and parcel of the game. Yusuf is a lion-hearted guy and a true fighter. He remains focused as ever and is working very hard. I believe he will soon make a comeback to the national team.

Posted in: Day To Day Sports News