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An old interview of Irfan Pathan hinting at biasness went viral on social media with claims that he’s hitting out at a former India captain for dropping him from the team.
MS Dhoni (left) and Irfan Pathan during an IPL match. (BCCI Photo)
The Internet never forgets.
A five-year-old video of Irfan Pathan recently went viral on social media, triggering a wave of memes. Pathan, while discussing possible reasons why he was dropped from the Indian team, indicated he was never one to curry favour with the team captain to ensure he’s part of the squad.
Interestingly, Pathan lost his spot during the captaincy of legendary MS Dhoni. The all-rounder had said there was lack of communication despite Dhoni once reassuring him everything is fine.
Pathan added he didn’t have the habit of preparing hookah in someone’s room, a hint that he isn’t someone who will spend time with the decision-maker and gain favour to secure his place.
Users on social media were quick to draw conclusions that Pathan was hitting out at Dhoni. However, after widespread coverage of his old comments and a storm on social media, Pathan rejected the connection, alleging his statement was twisted.Former India opener Aakash Chopra has weighed in on the controversy and defended the argument that a captain favouring certain players amounts to bias instead claiming the practice is “absolutely normal”.
“I believe that a captain’s first job is to pick a team that can win matches,” Chopra said on CricketExchange. “A captain’s success is dependent on this. Even though you have some preferences – you may like someone more than others – that’s absolutely normal. That’s a reality.”
“Captaincy isn’t much different. You want to pick your best team but if you’ve watched some people more or seen someone perform better under pressure, then you will turn towards them. Players who tend to belong to the same place as the captain and coach, get more preferences. That is not a bias or favouritism. It’s just that you’ve spent more time with them,” Chopra added.
Chopra also dismissed speculations that spending time with the captain will have an impact on team selection.
“Beyond that, who sits in whose room, what happens in a room – does it impact selection? I don’t think a successful captain worth his salt is going to get influenced by that particular factor. Lots riding on the captain’s shoulders and stakes are high. I don’t think if someone isn’t spending enough time (with the captain) then they will be treated adversely or be dropped. I don’t think that will be the case because winning a match is your ultimate motive,” he said.
Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience in digital…Read More
Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience in digital… Read More
September 06, 2025, 14:32 IST
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