IRFAN PATHAN
1105 runs and 100 wickets in 29 Tests; 1544 runs and 173 wickets in 120 ODIs

The younger of the Pathan brothers, Irfan made a scintillating debut for India in 2003 at the age of 19 and impressed everyone with his ability to swing the ball both ways. He could also hold his own with the bat against the best of the bowlers and soon was compared to the great Kapil Dev and was looked at a potential all-rounder for India.

He showed promise with a century in Tests against Pakistan. Against the same nation in Karachi 2006, came his biggest feat with the ball, when he became the first bowler to take a hat-trick in the first over of a Test match. Irfan Pathan was also the Man of the final in India’s World T20 2007 win and since then his career dwindled due to loss of form and injuries.

Pathan was the blue-eyed boy of former Indian coach Greg Chappell, who encouraged him to bat higher up the order and Pathan, for a time being, batted at no.3 in ODIs for quite some time. With Pathan playing his last Test in 2008 and last ODI in 2012 and with his home team of Baroda parting ways with him; Pathan has turned a new leaf in his career, moving to Jammu and Kashmir and becoming a coach-player to them and is scouting new talents for them.

The 34-year-old all-rounder remains closest to we came to finding a successor to the great Kapil Dev.