Yusuf Pathan is the elder of the Pathan siblings who have represented Team India. (File)
Former Team India cricketer Yusuf Pathan will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on a Trinamool Congress ticket from the Baharampur seat in West Bengal. Mr Pathan, who represented the Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League, is expected to face the Congress heavyweight Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, a five-time MP from the constituency.
Here are 5 facts about Yusuf Pathan:
- Born on November 17, 1982, in Baroda, Yusuf Pathan is the elder of the Pathan siblings who have represented India in the late 2000s and early 2010s. Mr Pathan, a right-handed attacking batsman and right-arm spinner, made his Ranji Trophy debut for Baroda in 2001-02 against Saurashtra.
- In 2007, Mr Pathan's heroics with the bat first in the Deodhar Trophy and then the Twenty20 domestic tournament earned him a spot in the India squad. He debuted in the T20 World Cup final against Pakistan, going on to win the title. He was also part of the squad that won the 2011 World Cup on home soil. Over the next five years, he represented India in 57 ODIs and 22 T20Is.
- Known for big-hitting abilities, Yusuf Pathan represented Rajasthan Royals in the inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL) season and won the title. He won two more IPL titles with Kolkata Knight Riders.
- Mr Pathan joins the illustrious list of cricketers who have represented India both on the field and in politics. Navjot Singh Sidhu, Mohammed Azharuddin, Gautam Gambhir, Kirti Azad, and Chetan Chauhan are some of the prominent names from the field of cricket who also tasted success in the political arena.
- Yusuf Pathan's political debut doesn't appear to be an easy one by any measure. He will be up against a political heavyweight in Congress' Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury who has been undefeated from Baharampur since 1999.