Aim is to do well for Afghanistan in Tests: Rashid
The instant stardom associated with impressive performances in the IPL has not changed Rashid Khan’s ultimate cricketing dream -- to bowl lethal googlies to the best in the world while donning Afghanistan whites.
A dream that is expected to soon turn into a reality with ICC set to give green light to Afghanistan’s impending Test status.
“Any cricketer has one ultimate dream, to do well in Test cricket for his country. By the grace of Almighty, we would soon be playing Test cricket.
“I am just waiting for that day when I will be playing Test cricket for Afghanistan. For me, success in Test cricket will define me as a cricketer,” the soft-spoken Rashid said during an interaction.
Rashid has had a fantastic debut IPL season with 12 wickets for the Sunrisers Hyderabad.
A Man-of-the-Match award against Kings XI Punjab was like an icing on the cake and every penny of that ~4.5 crore deal has been worth it for the Hyderabad franchise.
“It’s been like a dream for me. Playing in the IPL with so many stalwarts. More importantly being able to hold my own and perform for the team.
“Our coach Tom Moody has been constantly telling me that self belief is key to success. I have always had faith in my abilities and it’s paying off,” the 19-yearold, who has played 26 ODIs and 24 T20 Internationals for his country.
His googly has troubled many batsmen and he mentions three dismissals that has given h i m immense satisfaction.
“David Miller would be top in my list followed by Brendon McCullum and Rohit Sharma. All three were foxed by googlies and are the best in the business,” he stated.
Ask him about the best compliment he has received till date, he recollected his skipper David Warner’s advice.
“Warner told me that I will always be a dangerous bowler because of my high-arm action. This is something natural and he believes that it will continue to give me success,” said Rashid.
Afghanistan mainly plays Associate nations in international matches, barring ICC tournament, but Rashid is hopeful that things will soon change.
“Right after IPL, Afghanistan will be playing West Indies in a series.
“From here, I would be leaving for the Caribbean islands to play a limited-overs with three T20 matches. Playing T20 Internationals in Caribbean will be an experience,” he said.
In order to take his game to the next level, Rashid is hopeful that various T20 franchises across the world will be interested in him.
“I haven’t got any offers from any other T20 franchises but hopefully I will be able to play tournaments like Big Bash and Natwest T20 Blast. It will only help me improve my game,” said Rashid.