When Irfan Pathan first burst on to the scene for India in 2003, his pace and swing set him apart in a class of his own.
Almost 14 years on, sadly the man is no longer in the scheme of things, but he has got a lifeline in the IPL.
AFP
Yes, after not being initially picked, he has been roped in by Gujarat Lions as a replacement for the injured Dwayne Bravo. He is set to play against Royal Challengers Bangalore on April 27.
The man has a new weapon. What is it? A new type of delivery he calls it the ‘magic ball’. That’s right, a ball that apparently creates a bit of magic to deceive the batsman.
AFP
At 32, he is no spring chicken, but does not look rusty from the way he was practicing and who knows? We may see the Irfan of old when he takes the ball in his hands.
Be as it may, for those of us who remember his swinging deliveries in the first decade of the 21st century, we hope the magic ball can cause the same damage.
BCCI
So let’s wait and watch how things go.