"There are some exceptional talents in Kashmir" - Yusuf Pathan feels the youngsters need proper guidance

Former India cricketer Yusuf Pathan is the brand ambassador of cricket for Jammu & Kashmir. He thinks there is no shortage of talent in the state and the youngsters need proper guidance to channelise their talent in the right direction.

Pathan recently met some young cricketers from a couple of districts in J&K during a workshop in Srinagar. Speaking to the TOI from Kashmir, Yusuf Pathan stressed that these youngsters need the right platform to express themselves.

“(Abdul) Samad, Rasikh (Salam), (Parvez) Rasool are the cricketers who have gone ahead and played in the IPL. Rasool played for India as well. They have made a name for themselves. There is no dearth of talent in Kashmir and all they need is guidance and direction. There are some exceptional talents in Kashmir,” Yusuf said.

Yusuf Pathan further added:

“They have limited infrastructure and yet they produce good cricketers, which is a very big thing. The Indian Army is getting involved in it. Be it shoes, caps, jerseys or any equipment, the Indian Army is doing a lot for these youngsters. I have seen kids who can bowl at full speed, can hit the ball out of the park and there are some who are livewires while fielding. They need the right direction and platform."

Abdul Samad, an all-rounder from Kashmir who plays for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, has impressed one and all with his hard-hitting skills. Veteran all-rounder Parvez Rasool and fast bowler Rasikh Salam have also featured in the T20 league. Rasool has also represented India in a solitary ODI and T20I game.

"Kids from Kashmir love the game very much" - Yusuf Pathan

During his visit to Kashmir, Yusuf Pathan traveled to a couple of districts, where he interacted with the kids and played cricket with them. Sharing his experiences, Pathan stated:

“There is huge excitement and craze among kids in Kashmir. They want to play cricket and love this game a lot. The Indian Army is doing a lot for these kids. They are organising tournaments and competitions for these kids to create a different environment. This step has helped these kids a lot. Now, they just want to play cricket."

Yusuf Pathan announced his retirement from all forms of cricket earlier this year. He has represented India in 57 ODIs and 22 T20Is, scoring 810 and 236 runs respectively. He was part of the 2007 T20 World Cup winning squad as well as the 2011 ODI World Cup winning team.