Pathan to return home from South Africa: BCCI

Mumbai, Dec 25 (UNI) Team India paceman Irfan Pathan would be returning home from South Africa so that he could play in the Ranji Trophy games for Baroda, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said here today.

BCCI administrative head Prof Ratnakar Shetty told reporters here that the decision to call back the struggling paceman was taken by chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar in consultation with the team management in South Africa.

Pathan has recently been struggling to find his rhythm and looked low in confidence while bowling and was left out of the first Test in Johannesburg which India won by 123 runs.

The selectors, along with the team management, felt that it was better if Pathan was sent home to play the domestic tourney where he could find his form and rhythm once again, Mr Shetty said.

This decision also came in the backdrop of the recent statement by BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah that the selectors had the rights to call back players from tours whom they think are not performing upto their expectations.

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