IND v AFG 2018: Rashid Khan is matured like a 30-year-old , says Afghanistan coach Phil Simmons

Indian batsmen will find it tough against our bowlers, says Phil Simmons.

Rashid Khan, World's premier T20 bowler set to make grand entry to Test cricket against India | Getty Images

Afghanistan’s young leg-spin sensation, Rashid Khan, has proved his mettle in White-ball cricket at both International and franchise cricket, but now he might face a little stiff challenge in the Test cricket when they will play India in their maiden Test match next week.

But Head coach Phil Simmons doesn’t feel the same, as the West Indian believes that though Rashid is 19-year-old, but lack of experience can't become an obstacle in the way of his success story in the Red-ball cricket as "he has got the mind of a 30-year-old".

Afghanistan is all set to create history in the game of cricket when they will lock horns against India in their historic maiden Test match at the M.A. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore on 14 June and Simmons is confident that Rashid will replicate his first-class success in the Test cricket.

He has also some words for another spin sensation Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who stunned everyone for his accurate and consistent spin bowling at just age of 17, saying they have to see how he copes up with it.

As per reports in Press Trust of India, Simmons told reporters during an interaction, “Rashid is all of 19 but he has got the mind of a 30-year-old. He knows exactly what is expected of him. But yes, Mujeeb (17 years) is younger but we will have to see how he copes up with it.”

The coach further added, “It is about them (Rashid and Mujeeb) showing patience too along with our batsmen. Rashid did well against Ireland in four-day cricket last year. He got wickets. He played against practice games against England and he got wickets.”

He further said their experience of playing four-day cricket will give them a little assistance in understanding the longest format of the game in India, but the fact is that they have not got a taste of Test cricket that would be certainly making things more challenging for them here.

Phil explained, “The good thing is they have played four-day cricket (winning ICC Inter-Continental Cup twice). But it still doesn't tell them how tough Test cricket is going to be. I don't think that is something I can teach them. That is something they have to understand when they play. We have just tried to make sure that they understand that Test cricket is twice as difficult as an I Cup game. After the first Test match, they will know this level is so much higher and what they need to do to get to that level.”

The 55-year-old further stressed the need to control the emotions on the field and become mentally much stronger to succeed in Test cricket when they will take on India next week. He stated, “The reaction is still not there. It still has not sunk in yet. The emotional will hit them when they get to Bangalore. But I think they can handle the nerves. We have seen in the last five to six years that they have stepped up in every format that they have played.”

Simmons signed off by saying, “The biggest challenge is to make them understand what Test cricket is all about. It is different to four-day cricket in a massive way. It is getting them to understand the mindset around Test cricket, the patience, how hard it is to score runs. With them, it is a little bit technical and a lot more mental. Because you got to have played to understand how mentally tough it is to play for five days.”

 
 

By Rashmi Nanda - 02 Jun, 2018

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