Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan left a lasting impact on the cricket field, from his vicious left-arm swing to his gritty performances with the bat. Although Irfan’s career was unfortunately cut short due to injuries, he is still regarded as one of India’s best pace-bowling all-rounders.
Following his cricket career, Irfan has left the bat and ball and replaced it with the mic. He is currently an active commentator and cricket pundit. The man from Vadodara takes extra effort to remain stylish and presentable when he shares his thoughts on camera before and after the match. Irfan was an exciting talent during his playing days and he has carried the same aura in his commentary.
IRFAN PATHAN FACT FILEFull Name Irfan Pathan Date of Birth October 27, 1984 Birthplace Vadodara Nickname Not Available Height 6’ (183 cm) Weight 73 kg Teams Represented India, Baroda, Bhilwara Kings, California Knights, Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Daredevils, India Maharajas, Kandy Tuskers, Kings XI Punjab, Middlesex, Rising Pune Supergiants, Sunrisers Hyderabad Net Worth ₹64 crore Spouse & Kids Safa Baig (m. 2016), Imran & Suleiman Siblings Yusuf Pathan (brother)
Just like Irfan’s all-round abilities on the ground, his persona is also a reflection of the same – poignant, flashy, but very sober. During the initial years of his cricket career, many Indian fans drew similarities with former World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev.
The 39-year-old has continued to impress Indian cricket fans with his commentary and analysis as a pundit. His fiery attitude and outspoken nature helps him make vivid descriptions of cricket’s various technicalities and give a clearer picture to the fans worldwide. Therefore, Irfan is easily one of the most marketable pundits, with a net worth of ₹64 crore ($8 million).
IRFAN PATHAN: CAREER IN NUMBERS
Irfan’s journey to the top is a proper rags-to-riches story as he and his brother Yusuf struggled their way to the top. The young all-rounder modelled his bowling action on Pakistan’s sultan of swing- Wasim Akram. His exceptional swing and capable batting skills helped him gain popularity at the national level. Many selectors believed Irfan was the next Kapil Dev mainly due to the dearth of pace-bowling all-rounders in India at the domestic level.
At the tender age of 19, Irfan made his Test debut against Australia in Adelaide in December 2003, replacing India’s primary pacer Zaheer Khan, who suffered an unfortunate injury at the time. Amongst his most memorable deliveries from that series was his reverse-swinging yorker to dismiss Adam Gilchrist.
He also made his ODI debut on the same tour in a tri-series involving hosts Australia, India and Zimbabwe. While Irfan’s position in India’s Test setup was uncertain, he made a name for himself in ODIs.
Irfan was a pivotal part of the Indian team which toured Pakistan. He claimed 20 wickets in six matches across Tests and ODIs. Two years on, Irfan’s lethal left-arm swing helped him create history in the Karachi Test with an opening over hat-trick where he claimed the wickets of Salman Butt, Younis Khan, and Mohammed Yousuf. His hat-trick overshadowed his 210-run partnership with MS Dhoni in the previous Test match, steering India past the follow-on.
However by 2006, his career nose-dived due to recurring injuries and he struggled to keep his place in the Indian team. He lost his pace and many believe he never truly realized his potential in international cricket.
Irfan’s all-round capabilities helped him get a place in India’s 2007 T20 World Cup squad, which was in many ways a comeback for him. He played a sensational role in helping India get the inaugural crown by scalping 10 wickets in the tournament, while three of them came in the final against Pakistan. Irfan was also named the ‘Man of the Match’ in the final, courtesy of his figures of 3/16.
During the twilight of his career, he focused a lot on his batting. Irfan batted at number 3 on several occasions during the Gregg Chappell era. His only Test century also came against Pakistan in Bengaluru in 2007 batting at this slot.
Irfan was one of the early entrants in the T20 format as he featured in the T20 Cup in England for Middlesex in 2005. The all-rounder claimed 12 wickets in seven games. He later featured in the IPL with Kings XI Punjab where he scalped 47 wickets in his first three seasons of the tournament. He suffered a back injury which forced him to miss an entire season before he was snapped up by Delhi Daredevils in the 2011 auction for US$1.9 million. He spent three seasons with them. In 2014, he joined Sunrisers Hyderabad and was subsequently picked up by Chennai Super Kings in the following season. Format Matches Runs Average 50s/100s Highest Wickets Average BBI 5WI Test 29 1,105 31.57 6/1 102 100 32.26 7/59 7 ODI 120 1,544 23.39 0/5 83 173 29.72 5/27 2 T20I 24 172 24.57 0/0 33* 28 22.07 3/16 0 IPL 103 1,139 21.49 1/0 60 80 33.11 3/24 0 FC 122 4,559 30.39 26/3 121 384 28.33 7/35 19 List A 193 2,454 22.30 9/0 83 272 29.03 5/27 2
IRFAN’S BRAND ENDORSEMENTS
Irfan Pathan was one of the first Indian players to become Gillette’s brand ambassador in 2017. As per sources, he earned somewhere in the region of ₹60-80 lakhs. He endorsed Gillette’s flagship razor – Vector Plus. Pathan, during that time, was a poster boy for several brands such as Hero Cycles, CavinKare, Tata Indicom and Animax. The flashy all-rounder was a youth icon and his flamboyant appeal helped brands reach a wide massive audience.
After retiring from his playing career, Irfan inked an endorsement deal with a fantasy gaming platform, Howzat. It seems like a big endorsement deal for him as he was seen in several advertisement shoots and campaigns. Along with Howzat, he has carefully collaborated with brands such as Star Sports, Lifebuoy, and ICICI Bank. The renowned Indian cricketer is also a brand ambassador of reigning I-League champions Mohammedan Sporting Club, who will feature in the top-tier Indian Super League in the upcoming campaign.
REAL ESTATE AND CAR COLLECTION
Just like his persona, Irfan is very classy and he has carefully curated his decor in his custom-made house in Vadodara, Gujarat. The mansion is approximately valued at ₹6 crores. He is very shrewd with his investments and his collection of real estate across multiple countries proves that point.
Unlike his peers, Irfan is very modest with his car collection. It is a combination of luxury and necessity for the all-rounder. He is the owner of a Mahindra Scorpio, Toyota Fortuner and Mercedes Ben A-Class, which is worth ₹70 lakhs.
DOES IRFAN BELIEVE IN CHARITY?
Irfan along with his brother Yusuf were beacons of hope during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Pathan brothers helped the frontline workers with a lot of basic amenities. They did a lot to uplift the society during testing times. Furthermore, Pathan handed over all his returns from social media and advertisements to charity. He and his brother donated food, and raw materials while assisting 90,000 families during the pandemic.
The duo have also opened a Pathan Cricket Academy to help talented people achieve their dreams.
