Adelaide: Notwithstanding Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq’s claim that tall pacer Mohammad Irfan could trouble India in their World Cup opener, former skipper Sunil Gavaskar feels that the 7 feet 1 inch-bowler should not pose a big threat to the Men in Blue.
“I am not too sure that it’s going to be too much of an issue (Having Irfan pose a challenge). India have been in Australia for a while. They have got used to the pace and bounce of the pitches and therefore I don’t think it’s going to be too much of an issue,” Gavaskar told NDTV.
“Also I think there is a fitness aspect about Irfan. If he goes flat out fast, he tends to pull up something or the other because of the fact that he is unusually tall that can happen. And so Misbah might be right in thinking that he is his number one bowler.
“He is simply the number one bowler, because there is no Junaid Khan, there is no Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal’s missing, so quite clearly, Mohammad Irfan who actually came into international cricket barely a year ago becomes Pakistan’s number one strike bowler. But I think the Indians will be able to handle him,” he added. (PTI)
