If you get the chance to stay with one franchise, build your legacy there: Irfan Pathan

Irfan Pathan has reflected on the importance of staying with a single franchise to build a lasting legacy in cricket. The former India pacer, who played across multiple IPL teams during his career, shared insights into how franchise loyalty shapes a player's impact and reputation in the sport.

Pathan began his franchise journey with Punjab, where he spent three years playing for the team.

"If you want to create a legacy as a player, you can do that only by staying with one franchise if you get that opportunity. But usually, that doesn't happen. My first team was Punjab, and I played there for three years. In the fourth year, Punjab wanted me to stay, but due to the retention rules and other such reasons, they couldn't retain any players. Nobody was retained." Pathan said via JioStar.

Why franchise loyalty matters in building a lasting legacy

Pathan drew a parallel with how franchises attempt to retain their key players despite systemic constraints. He cited the example of Kolkata Knight Riders and their approach to grooming young talent, highlighting how even well-intentioned retention plans can fall through due to circumstances beyond a team's control.

"A player like Shubman Gill, they would have wanted to keep him. They groomed him and picked him first. But sometimes circumstances are such that you simply can't retain players," Pathan added.

The former pace-bowling all-rounder emphasised the value of stability and continuity in a player's franchise career. He advocated for players to prioritise long-term association with a single team when the opportunity presents itself, rather than pursuing frequent moves across different franchises.

"If you get the chance to stay with one franchise, let go of a few things, build your legacy, and stay with that team," Pathan said.

After his time with Punjab, Pathan went on to play for Delhi Daredevils (now Capitals), Sunrisers Hyderabad, Chennai Super Kings, Rising Pune Supergiant and Gujarat Lions, making him one of the few players to have represented six different IPL franchises during his career.