Suresh Raina reveals how good a cricketer Irfan Pathan was at the peak of his career

In conversation with Irfan Pathan, Suresh Raina has come forward and spoken about how Ithe former Team India bowler used to be a big name at the peak of his career when he was compared with the 'Sultan of Swing'  and former Pakistani skipper Wasim Akram.

Raina had made his international debut in 2005 during the tri-series in Sri Lanka that also featured the West Indies. Irfan was already an established cricketer by then.

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'Already such a big name': Suresh Raina 

During an Instagram live session with Irfan Pathan, the veteran middle-order batsman said that everybody used to compare Irfan with Wasim Akram for the long and curly hair, 'almost like the brand ambassador of head and shoulders'. The southpaw also mentioned that when he had first come into the Indian side in 2005, the veteran all-rounder was already such a big name and had become famous as well.

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Irfan Pathan's cricketing career

Irfan Pathan is one of the top all-rounders to have represented India, though his peak was shortlived. He had the capability of providing early breakthroughs with his amazing swing and was also a very handy batsman as an opener, at number three and in the middle-overs. Irfan had first burst on to the scene against the then mighty Australians in December 2003 where he took the prized wickets of Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden. Pathan was a part of many of India's famous win that also included the ICC World T20 2007 triumph.

He had played his last international match in World T20 2012 and even though he was a part of India's triumphant Champions Trophy 2013 squad, he did not get a single game. The Baroda cricketer announced his retirement from international cricket in January 2020.