What's better than having one Pathan in the Indian cricket team?
Having two Pathans, of course.
Yusuf Pathan's claim to fame so far is the fact that he is Irfan Pathan's elder brother. Now, his superb performances -- 286 runs and 17 wickets in 6 games -- in domestic cricket for Baroda this season have seen the off-spinning all-rounder win a place in the India 'A' side for the Challenger series.
It is a first step into the big-time; it is a first step into the limelight. On Sunday, when he trooped into the Wankhede stadium along with his younger brother, he almost seemed in awe at the setting -- he has never played cricket with a white ball before.
Yusuf looks like a gangly teenager -- taller than Irfan, painfully shy and at first look very different from Irfan. But the similarities are more intrinsic than extrinsic. He exhibits the same humilty that has been Irfan's hallmark ever since he made his debut for India.
So what tips did he ask Irfan for given the fact that this is his first Challenger series and the first time he will be playing under lights.
"Not a lot really. We are talking cricket all the time, when we are at home. So much so that even our parents now talk about the game. But we did talk about the white ball and how to grip it."
Chairman of the national selectors Kiran More reckons Yusuf is a talented lad and one of the players to watch out for, but adds that he needs to continue performing.
So could there be a time when the name Pathan is synonymous with India's bowling attack?
"Why two?" asks More, who, like the Pathan boys, is a native of Baroda. "I would love to have 10 Pathans in the team if I can!"
The selectors have mentioned that during the Challengers, they will keep a close look on spinning all-rounders. Yusuf is a bowler who uses his height to maximum advantage and extracts good bounce and turn from the track. Perhaps the one area where he scores over his brother is batting. Yusuf is a hard-hitting batsman and can score very quickly when the situation demands.
How does Yusuf respond to pressure? He has certainly known a lot of that because when your kid brother makes it to the Indian cricket team, there will no doubt be comparisons.
"Pressure lekar koi faaydaa nahin (No use letting the pressure get to you). It will only hamper your performance. You have to keep a cool head and perform. That is the only way forward."
Irfan has often said he has learnt a lot from his brother but the left-arm medium-pacer insists that Yusuf has got to do the hard yards on his own. They will talk about cricket but when it comes to finding a place in the Indian team, Irfan insists that Yusuf has to learn on his own.
"That is the only way he will improve," he said. "I can't help him in that department."
Yusuf reckons that along with Irfan he has broken the requisite number of tube lights and windowpanes while playing cricket at home. But the brothers, ironically, have only played in a few club games against each other before.
The first match of the 2005 Challenger Series between India Seniors and India 'A' would have marked the first time the duo would have been pitted against each other in a high stakes match. But with the selectors deciding to rest Irfan for the Challenger series, that was not to be.
