Jammu: Asserting that there is no dearth of talent in Jammu and Kashmir, Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan on Monday said that he will not captain the state team in the coming Ranji Trophy season but will only play and act as mentor for the youngsters.
Pathan is here in Jammu and Kashmir for the past one-week. Earlier he camped in Srinagar and now will be taking two-day camp in Jammu to select probables for the upcoming Ranji Trophy season and other domestic cricket tournaments.
“I will not captain the J&K team in the coming season because I feel that a local lad should be the captain so that when I am not be a part of the team, he can continue with the tips and techniques taught to the players for performing at all levels in different categories,” Irfan Pathan in an interview told UNI here at GGM Science College Ground while undertaking a two-day camp to select probables in senior and Under-23 categories.
“I want that the guidance and professional tips, I will leave behind must be followed honestly by the cricketers for better results,” said Irfan Pathan.
He said, “there is no dearth of talent in Jammu and Kashmir. Around 200 to 250 players in different age groups attended the camp in Jammu and Srinagar and they have some good bowlers and batsmen as well.””Many players had complaint that despite performing, they were not being selected previously but anybody who scores big and takes wickets, should not be ignored,” he added and asserted that he has told the players that perform and play will be his ‘mantra’ of getting into the team.
“This is my first season in J&K and the JKCA CEO Ashiq Bukhari is making all out efforts to take cricket to new heights here,” he added and said, “this is for the first time, JKCA has organized a camp in all the districts and the talent is coming out somehow, many players are raw but they have to be nurtured and trained professionally so that they can perform in the tournaments.”Irfan Pathna, who claimed to have one-year contract with the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA), said, “the body (JKCA) wanted me to extend the period of contract but I first want to see an overall scenario and by July ending, probables will selected, which had never happened here. Before the cricket tournaments begin, our teams will ready and geared up to perform.”On controversies broke out in JKCA over a period of time, the cricketer said, “I have no idea what had happened in the past.”
