Irfan Pathan more effective than Jadeja's

Irfan , still on a comeback trail, has said that his reworked action, in which he delivers from a higher arm position, has helped him find his areas better, and made him a better bowler. He also feels he is in a peaceful mental state, not worrying too much about selection or results, and just staying happy.

"What I wanted to do in this [Australia] trip is, make myself a circle, where I am happy no matter what happens," Irfan said. "Even if I play, don't play, do well, don't do well. I have realised that there are certain things that are important in life. I am trying to stay in that circle." 

In his three ODIs in this tri-series, Irfan has bowled 29 overs for 153 runs and six wickets. He has opened the bowling, bowled first-change and has also been used at the death. It is, however, his batting that has provided a curious study of India's selections. It is clear to everybody that Irfan is a better batsman than Ravindra Jadeja, at least at the No. 7 position, which usually needs bigger, cleaner strikes in the final few overs.

It should be a no-brainer that Irfan should be preferred because wherever his bowling might be, it is likely to be more effective than Jadeja's. In fact Jadeja, always chosen ahead of Irfan, has bowled only 42.4 overs in six matches so far, for one wicket.

When Irfan did play, he was sent in at No. 9, where he hit a crucial six in a tie. Irfan took that sportingly. "You have to be realistic," he said. "What you have done in the past is totally in the past. You have to look at the current scenario. Ashwin has batted really well. He has a Test hundred and batted well in Australia. You want to get higher, but have to be realistic too."

Does Irfan think he is ready to take - at least in Australia - the No. 7 spot, a position that has exchanged hands between Jadeja and Yusuf Pathan recently with no clear winner. "When you are not thinking about results, it comes," Irfan said. "Even for my short-term plans, [do] not think too much ahead, [do] not think too much back, stay in that circle [of happiness]."