IPL 2017: 5 reasons why Gujarat Lions should play Irfan Pathan

When Gujarat Lions lost Dwyane Bravo to injury in the initial stages of the season, their hopes plummeted as the West Indian was the sole hope for them in a hapless bowling line-up. However, that has changed with the inclusion of Basil Thampi, Andrew Tye, Ankit Soni and James Faulkner. The bowling has looked of late although they did lose Tye to injury.

Irfan Pathan, the man who could not find an IPL team in the auction despite having a good domestic season, was roped in by the Lions for Bravo. He was played just once, in an enthralling tie against the Mumbai Indians at Rajkot, where he bowled the final over to force a tie.

The left-handed seamer, once India's premier fast bowler faded away due to a bout of injuries and loss of pace and swing. However, he hasn't missed a whole domestic season for four years now and has been playing all formats of cricket for Baroda.

However, for a team like Gujarat Lions, who do not exactly excel with the ball, isn't Irfan Pathan an ideal player to have in the eleven? Read on to find out why.

#1 The early bird advantage

Irfan Pathan has always been a threat with the new ball. He isn't the guy to bowl slow balls or cutters to bamboozle batsmen in the slog overs. Pathan has always excelled in the new ball role with his ability to swing the ball still there.

Pathan bowled just two overs in the only game he played and only one of them was early in the innings. With the ability to move the ball, Pathan has more often than not delivered on conducive pitches. With a side-on action, Pathan generates the kind of inward movement that discomforts right-handers. Gujarat could use him upfront for two overs at least.

#2 A good domestic season

The Baroda skipper had a good domestic T20 tournament

Pathan did not walk into the Gujarat Lions side on reputation. The seamer did the hard yards in domestic cricket and looked threatening in most games, finding his movement and control. In a Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 match between North Zone and West Zone, Pathan ripped through the North top order to reduce them to 10/3.

He dismissed the likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant and Yuvraj Singh as the North eventually succumbed ro 107/8. Pathan has also contributed with the bat and fitness is no longer her a concern having bowled right through the Ranji season with little discomfort.

#3 The Gujarat lower middle-order

Irfan Pathan can be a handy player down the order

Gujarat Lions do not exactly have the kind of strong lower middle-order that teams are expected to have in the IPL. James Faulkner isn't the kind of batsman he once was and Jadeja has been shabby with bat and ball this season. With the loss of Brendon McCullum as well, Dwyane Smith would be pushed to open the batting.

This means that after Dinesh Karthik at 5, Lions have little batting fire-power. A natural striker of the cricket ball, Pathan could be the right answer for Gujarat in the lower order. They could, of course, replace McCullum with another top order player, but they really have plenty of them and need a lower-order all-rounder like Pathan.

#2 Judged too soon?

Pathan forced a tie with his final but his overall figrues hurt him

Pathan played just one game this season and was dumped rather unfairly. He came to bowl in the third over of the Mumbai innings in his only game and was met by a Parthiv Patel in carnage mode. Taken for 16, Pathan was removed from the attack and never brought back on until quite necessary in the death.

To his credit, he took the game to a super over bowling the last over where he conceded just 10. But with figures of 2-0-26-0, Pathan was dropped and never resorted to the line-up. In the IPL, every bowler has a poor day or two and it is up to the team and skipper to back good players and give them the confidence. If Raina can do a Ganguly and inspire the younger Pathan, Gujarat might find some solace towards the end of their campaign.

#5 Form of other all-rounders

Jadeja has had a forgettable IPL season and Irfan could be an ideal replacement

Gujarat Lions boast of some amazing all-rounders in Ravindra Jadeja, James Faulkner and Dwyane Smith. But the fact of the matter is that none of the three has had a good season. While Smith and Jadeja have failed in both respects, Faulkner has redeemed himself with his bowling.

However, with Pathan in the dugout, Gujarat should make things happen rather than waiting. Jadeja has been poor right through the season and with Ankit Soni available for spin duties, Gujarat could consider Pathan instead of Jadeja or Smith.