Overview

• Irfan Pathan says coach Gary Kirsten told him some decisions were 'not in my hands,' which he interprets as Dhoni’s choice to omit him from India’s 2009 New Zealand ODIs.
• He recounts being benched for four of the five matches on that tour despite delivering match-winning performances and then spending two years out of the national side.
• He downplays his famous first-over Test hat-trick against Pakistan in 2006, arguing that individual feats matter less than contributions in winning matches.
• He details a dressing-room incident where an unnamed senior teammate grabbed his jersey over a batting-order dispute and revives a taunting in-flight exchange with Shahid Afridi.
• He links his outspoken critiques of players such as Hardik Pandya to his removal from the IPL 2025 commentary panel, noting that Dhoni, Kirsten and the broadcasters have not publicly responded.