Cricketing legend Kapil Dev has twin advice for rookie pacer Irfan Pathan to make it big on the international stage -- keep away from injury and train hard during off season.

Kapil, India's highest wicket taker in Tests, said Pathan has the potential to succeed at the highest level as he was focussed and laid much stress on fitness.

"He must see to it that he does not get injured and also train hard during the off season," Kapil, the greatest seamer India has ever produced, said at a brief media interaction in Kolkata last night on the sidelines of a function to release his autobiography 'Straight from the Heart'.

Praising Pathan, Kapil said that the youngster bowled with a lot of passion, and was very quick.

"Pathan and Balaji represent the new generation of medium pacers in India," he said.

Kapil, adjudged Wisden's greatest Indian cricketer of the last century, said that he felt elated to see India rely on fast bowlers as their main strike weapons.

"This was not the case 15 years back. I'm very happy with this development," he said.

However, he warned the youngsters that during the last five years excessive cricket had taken a lot of toll on fast bowlers in international cricket.

"The quicks get injured every on and off, perhaps due to too much cricket. That's why I feel that the Indian youngsters should guard against injury through proper training," he added.