Irfan Pathan is going through a rough phase in his cricket career. The all-rounder was first sacked by his domestic team Baroda, and later got ignored in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018 auction.

Pathan said that he himself was unsure about IPL after lack of cricket. "Obviously IPL I am not sure this year. I didn't play first-class cricket, I was captain, and there were lot of non-cricketing issues from Baroda's side, so I have left the state and I'll be joining a different state next year with a bigger responsibility and better opportunity, and hopefully it'll take me a long way in terms of my career. "

33-year-old Irfan, after being ill-treated by his home side, is now trying to move to Jammu and Kashmir after applying for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Baroda. He was approached by the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) to represent them as player-cum-mentor, for the next three seasons. 

JKCA CEO Ashiq Ali Bukhari said: “We were looking out for a professional player and Irfan was our first choice. He has experience with him and is an all-rounder. His presence will help our boys to grow their game."

Pathan, who made his debut against Australia in 2003 was once seen as a future asset of the Indian team. However, the pacer failed to make a comeback in the side after playing his last match in 2012 for India.

He is optimistic about his chances of making comeback in the national side. "I am very excited about the new opportunity for next year, and really looking forward to it. Chances are very slim, but I'll take them," he added.