I failed to adjust to the English conditions on my debut – Mohammad Irfan

Mohammad Irfan, the tall Pakistani fast bowler, has admitted that he had lost coordination between his mind and body during his lackluster debut against England in 2010 but claims to have improved immensely since then.

The cricketer from Gaggu Mandi, having caught the eyes of the national selectors at the domestic level because of his extra-ordinary height, was included in the Pakistan ‘A’ team for the tour of Sri Lanka in 2010.

Pakistan’s two premier bowlers, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif, were suspended from playing competitive cricket during the tour of England, which allowed the selectors to include Irfan in the limited-overs squad. The lanky pacer however, failed to make an impression in the two One Day Internationals (ODIs) he played against the Poms and was subsequently dropped from the team.

While speaking to ESPNcricinfo, the 30-year-old cricketer expressed that it was extremely hard for him to adjust to the cold weather in England immediately after scorching heat in Sri Lanka.

“Everything happened so quickly. I was playing in the heat of Sri Lanka and doing well there, but I wasn’t able to adjust to the conditions in England. I couldn’t cope and crumbled under the pressure. I lost all coordination between my mind and body,” the tall pacer mentioned.

Irfan however, went back to domestic cricket and performed exceptionally well to reclaim a place in the national team during the recently-concluded limited-overs series against India. The lanky cricketer did not pick too many wickets against the arch-rivals but played an influential role in the Green Shirts’ success through immaculate lines and lengths.

The left-arm speedster looked a much improved bowler upon his return to the highest level of the game and revealed that he has realized that he must enhance his fitness, accuracy and the ability to move the ball, if he wants to be successful in international cricket.

He added, “I learnt a lot and understood that height isn’t the only factor I should rely on at the international level. I had to work harder than before – more gym work, more training and more bowling practice, with lengthy spells. Eventually I returned to the domestic circuit to play more cricket and gain experience.”

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=37702

Posted by Yasir Hashmi on Jan 28 2013. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.