The Hindu : Sport : Kaif, Pathan eyeing comeback

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Saturday, Jul 07, 2007
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Sport

Kaif, Pathan eyeing comeback

Special Correspondent

Chennai: In his last Test series for India, the away campaign against the West Indies last year, Mohammad Kaif averaged 56.50 from four matches. His 226 runs in the series included an unbeaten 148 in the second Test at Gros Islet. He has not represented the country since in Tests.

A subsequent slump in his batting form in the One Day Internationals meant Kaif found himself out of the Test squad as well. While the 26-year-old Kaif concedes he was “disappointed,” he wants to “forget the past and focus on the future.”

Self-belief

Kaif, who has journeyed to the MRF Pace Foundation to practice against a bunch of lively pacemen, told presspersons, here, on Friday, “I believe in myself. I am trying to hang in there. You cannot control the past, but you can control the future.”

Said Kaif, “The pitches here have bounce and I am working on my feet movement and my head position.” Kaif revealed that since that the inter-club competitions in Delhi had ended, he had decided to travel to Chennai. “It is also raining out there in Delhi,” he added.

Asked about a possible comeback into the ODI side, Kaif replied, “I am confident.” He has no regrets about his past performances: “I am happy with what I have achieved, batting at No. 6 or No. 7, stopping runs and taking catches. But I guess there is always room for improvement.”

Irfan Pathan too was hopeful about a return to the Indian side.

The left-armer said he had, at the MRF Pace Foundation, corrected the glitch in his bowling action. The key lay in shifting his load up to his right leg, using his non-bowling arm effectively and getting his bowling arm to come through straight.

“I am fit, confident and ready to be back,” said Pathan. “Every paceman goes through phases such as this. I have worked on routines to strengthen my body” he added.

“I am very happy about how I have bowled at the nets here. I focussed on my bowling. Now, I need to play more matches,” said Pathan.

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