Irfan's elder sibling all set to make his mark

VADODARA: If Irfan Pathan has become a menace for opening batsmen around the world, some credit goes to his elder brother Yusuf as well. The lesserknown Pathan is an opening batsman who has played a couple of Ranji matches in 2002. As a teenager, Irfan had honed his swing bowling skills against his elder sibling.
Twenty-year-old Yusuf Khan Pathan may be living in the shadow of his younger and more famous brother for the time being.But that has not stopped the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) from singling him out as one of the brighter prospects for the next Ranji season.
Consistent performances in the under-22 tournaments have earned Yusuf a place in the list of Baroda probables for the forthcoming domestic season.
He had made his Ranji debut against Saurashtra in 2002 and has seen many ups and downs in his short career. But then struggling and coming up come naturally to this family of a muezzin. An opening batsman, off spinner and excellent slip fielder, BCA officials say they are pinning a lot of hope on Yusuf. He has a reputation of a steady batsman who can slog aggressively when required.
Though BCA has an extremely good opening pair in Connor Williams and Satyajit Parab, Yusuf can come in handy with his ability to slog in the final overs. He is also a handy off-spinner who, on his day, can run through a good batting line-up.
Yusuf is the kind of player who likes to be in the thick of things. For instance, he revels standing in the slips. "I like to see the ball travel whether I am batting or fielding. That is one reason why I have trained myself to field in the slip cordon and in areas like gully and cover where the ball whistles past you," he says.
"I got a much-needed boost in the under-22 tournament last season where I took 18 wickets in three matches. I did not get a chance to perform with the bat, but it does not matter as long as the team wins." Interestingly, 11 of the 18 wickets came against a formidable Mumbai line-up.
Yusuf has sorted out his priorities. "Every one asks me about international cricket especially after ''Guddu'' (Irfan) made it big. But I''m not in a hurry to get into the international scene. Right now my focus is on getting a permanent slot in the Vadodara Ranji team."
Unlike Irfan,who refuses to be tagged as an all-rounder, Yusuf says he is ready for any tag. "To be part of a team, its very essential for a cricketer to be good with his batting, bowling and fielding."
India selector and BCA honorary secretary Kiran More too acknowledges Yusuf ''s abilities. "He is a good cricketer and a good prospect for future," he says.
Yusuf is all praise for his coaches Mehendi Sheikh and the late Bashir Sheikh. "Bashir Sir, in particular, worked on my batting." Senior players in the Vadodara lineup appreciate Yusuf''s all-round abilities.
Satyajit Parab, former India ''A'' and current Vadodara opener says, "Yusuf can be a very good one-day player. He is a good batsman and can be useful as an off-spinner. His fielding abilities will always be a plus point for the team."