Four years ago, he was India’s new find; three years ago, he was a bowling all-rounder; two years ago, he was the next Kapil Dev; and last year, they were saying he was a talented cricketer who got ruined forever.

This year, Irfan Pathan is on the rise again. Back on his feet, he is now looking to ensure that he doesn’t stumble again. He spoke to The Indian Express about his incredible journey. Excerpts:

What has changed for you this year?

• A lot of things. I’ve come out stronger from everything that happened. Even at the worst of times, at the back of my mind I knew that things would change for the better. I felt I would soon make a good comeback, and that’s what happened eventually. But I’ve learnt a lot about myself in the process. Time can teach you a lot of things — be it cricket or your personal life. You come to know who your friends are and, interestingly, this is the phase when you realise that you don’t have too many friends.

How difficult was this phase?

•It was a test of my physical and mental ability. I was going through a bad patch and, while I knew I would come out of it, I began to understand that I had to keep working hard, keep giving my best. Every player has to go through something like this at the international level. Those who get through it can aim for further growth. I’ve played international cricket for four years now and these four years have taught me a lot, about cricket and other things.

... contd.