Meanwhile... Bengal skipper Laxmi Ratan Shukla, expected to be fit for the Karnataka match, has been picked captain for the entire season

After helping his team Baroda finish with three valuable points against Bengal in their own backyard at Eden Gardens, Irfan Pathan is a satisfied man. And at this juncture of his career where he is trying to come back to the national side, Pathan can’t help but recall Sachin Tendulkar’s invaluable contribution towards shaping his career at the highest level.

“Playing cricket for 20 years is a great achievement. And Sachin’s contribution towards my game has been huge. I have many fond memories with Sachin,” Pathan told reporters after the Ranji Trophy match at Eden. “There are so many memories that are coming back. I can never forget one particular instance, which played a big role in my career down the years.”

The 25-year-old allrounder picked out an advice that Tendulkar had given him long back. “It happened towards the beginning of my international career. After he had good look at my bowling, I was discussing my bowling with him, I asked him what changes I needed to make. He clearly told me that I didn’t need to consciously try to get extra swing. He suggested that I bowl naturally, and my natural swing will do the rest, there was no need for extra effort at swinging the ball,” Pathan said.

Pathan, known for his natural swing with the new ball, was here on his comeback trail, and played an instrumental role with both and ball to help Baroda snatch the first innings lead over hosts Bengal.

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