Irfan Pathan has launched a scathing attack on India's cricket culture, particularly calling out the star mentality that has taken root within the national team after their 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy loss to Australia.
The former Indian player pointed out that India does not need superstars like Virat Kohli, but rather needs a team culture to achieve success. Pathan also pointed out that Indian players should stick to playing domestic cricket, which is a crucial aspect missing in the top ranks.
Irfan Pathan slams Indian cricket star culture after Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 debacle
Irfan Pathan also criticized Virat Kohli for ignoring domestic cricket after his disastrous tour of Australia. It is worth noting that the last time the former Indian skipper played domestic cricket was in 2012, and despite his struggles with the bat and despite being a free agent, he refused to return to the Delhi team.
The commentator also mentioned that even legends like Sachin Tendulkar, despite being one of the greatest to ever play the game, understood the importance of domestic cricket and played regularly, because playing Test cricket without practice will always be difficult.
“India doesn't need a star culture. India needs a team culture. Tell me, when did Virat Kohli play domestic cricket? Even when he was a free man, when did that happen? How long ago? Even Sachin Tendulkar played,” Irfan Pathan said on Star Sports. Also, he didn't need to, but he also used to come and play because he had to stand on the field, play for 4 days, and then come back in the second half.
Irfan Pathan questions Virat Kohli's need for the Indian cricket team
The former Indian cricketer said that it is not about the runs Virat Kohli has scored over the years, but in 2024, in the first innings, where the match is decided, he averaged 15, and in the last five years, he has not averaged 30. Pathan then asked : “Does the Indian national team deserve a great player?”
Irfan Pathan has urged Indian selectors to give opportunities to youngsters regularly to prepare a starting team for the future if they only want an average of 15-20 from a player of Kohli's calibre. Pathan stressed that he is not “insulting” the former Indian captain, nor is he saying he has not taken a run, but it is all about the success of the Indian cricket team, not individuals.
The former Indian cricket pundit admitted that Virat Kohli has done a great job for Team India over the years, but over the past few years, his numbers have declined significantly, and this is really worrying for the national team to continue working with him. Without any improvement.
Irfan Pathan criticizes Virat Kohli's stance
Pathan criticized Kohli for being arrogant and showing attitude despite his repeated mistakes in the recent Test series against Australia. He stated that Kohli could have easily asked for help, as there were a lot of legends in Australia, including Sunil Gavaskar, but he did not feel important enough to ask for advice and even he did not show any improvement and hard work.
Irfan Pathan also noted, “He has done a lot of wonders for India. He has given a lot of match-winning performances. But you make the same mistake over and over again. You do the same thing again. You don't make a gap between two mistakes. You don't try to fix the technical mistake that Mr. Sunny also talked about it.
Sunny sir is here in the field. How long does it take to talk to him? How long does it take to talk to a great player and ask what can I do sir? It takes a lot of hard work to fix this bug, and it's invisible.
It's time to turn on the lights! 🌟 #Irfan Pathan Calls for an end to star culture, emphasizing the importance of building a strong team-first mentality in Indian cricket💬🇮🇳#AUSvINDOnStar #The toughest competition #World Trade Center #World_Test_Championship pic.twitter.com/YQ6TKJUXe4
– Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) January 5, 2025