145;Criticism was getting into my head146;

It8217;s been a strange tour for Irfan Pathan. He8217;s been among the wickets yet has been criticised for his pedestrian pace and lack of...

It8217;s been a strange tour for Irfan Pathan. He8217;s been among the wickets yet has been criticised for his pedestrian pace and lack of swing was the subject of all discussions. And then there8217;s the all-rounder tag that refuses to go away. It8217;s obviously not easy being Irfan Pathan. Yet he8217;s graceful and polite to a fault, taking time off from pre-match preparations to talk to The Sunday Express. Excerpts:

8226; Your bowling 8212; especially the lack of pace 8212; has been the subject of much debate. What do you have to say?

You tell me, which is more important, bowling fast or picking up wickets? On a long tour, there are days when you have ups and downs but when I8217;m contributing to the team in terms of wickets, I think I8217;m doing a fair job. That8217;s what my coach and captain also think, which works fine for me.

8226; Still, was it easy keeping that criticism off your head, especially during the Test series?

To be honest, it was tough, even in the streets people used to discuss about it, at one point of time all this was getting into my head but Greg and the support staff kept telling me I was good and asked me to think positively about my bowling. I am not saying that I have become mentally stronger since then, but I have tried to focus on the job and that has paid dividends on the latter part of the tour.

8226; So you must have been really happy to hit back with that hat-trick in the Karachi Test and prove your detractors wrong?

It was good to get a hat-trick, it8217;s personally satisfying for a bowler but nothing works like a series victory. The taste of victory is the sweetest and when you have contributed in that you savour it for long.

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8226; Why do you consciously run away from accepting that you are an all-rounder?

Why should I say that I am an-rounder? I know what my limitations are and I stick to it. What happens if I am not being able to perform as per those standards? Let me keep performing, I enjoy my batting but I am a bowler first, my focus is on improving as a bowler. You are the people who call me an all-rounder8230; But I hope to churn out those performances to justify it.

8226; Almost everything Chappell has tried in the name of experimentation has involved you, whether using you as a No 3 or allowing you to finish off your overs in one spell. Does it give you a special feeling in the dressing room?

I feel a Very Important Person laughs. Seriously, it8217;s a privilege if I8217;ve been chosen to try some different strategies for the team8217;s benefit. Chappell has a neat plan working towards the 2007 World Cup and obviously it gives you a nice feeling when you are an important component of that plan. From my side I would just want to continue my good performances and keep improving as a cricketer.

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8226; Chappell has some plans for you but what goals have you set for yourself?

To improve my pace, maybe! Smiles Hmmm. Can8217;t say anything specifically now, the series is not yet over, and England are already waiting. So there8217;s nothing much I can plan immediately. What I8217;d really like to do is get some rest in the short break we have and come back fresh.