Before Afghanistan take on India in their debut Test at Bengaluru from June 14, they will have to focus on the challenge in front of them. Afghanistan is preparing to play Bangladesh in a three T20I match series at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Dehradun.
Sportskeeda.com caught up with Afghanistan's 23-year-old left-arm spinner Sharafuddin Ashraf and sought some answers on Afghanistan’s preparation for their most important day of cricket against India and focus on current series against Bangladesh.
Talking about the struggles in playing cricket back home and reaching this level, Ashraf said that his team had eleven Dhoni like stories in his team and a movie can be made on each of their lives.
He said, “Cricket in Afghanistan is growing every day. Domestic cricket is becoming more competitive. In terms of our personal struggle, every player in the squad will have a story to tell. Just like India have MS Dhoni, whose story is known worldwide, we have eleven Dhoni-like stories in our team who have gone through a lot in life already. A film can be made on each one of them. There would be no international cricketer from Afghanistan who hasn't faced immense struggles in his career. Our seniors were up against steeper challenges than we are, as we still have this platform and such facilities for us today. ”
Also speaking on the Bangladesh T20I series, Ashraf said, “This series is very important for us, because the T20 World Cup is very close and our team ranking will be crucial going forward. Also, this will be the first time we face a top team after Zimbabwe. Bangladesh is a strong Asian team, it is very important for us to play against them. We have prepared extensively for these matches and I'm sure we'll play well. ”
He said that though it will be tough for him to get in the playing XI with Rashid and Mujeeb getting first dibs, he would like to perform to the best of his ability, whenever he gets a chance.
Speaking about players to look out for from the Afghan team, Ashraf said, “There are seven to eight people in our team who are ready for every league. Shahzad and Najeeb Zadran, too, are very important for our chances in any game. Of course, our spinners are world class, but our batsmen are also getting there.”
He also hoped that international cricket can be played in Afghanistan, saying, “As you can see, we've played our cricket in foreign countries over the last two years. Right now, we're glad to have this opportunity in India. Meanwhile, developmental work is going on back home and the construction of cricket grounds is taking place in Afghanistan. Things will improve over time.”
He also gave some insights into the Afghan team’s preparation for the India Test.
Ashraf said, “India is a world class team. Our preparations for the Test are going on in full swing. It is extremely difficult to beat India in India. However, we have certain exceptional spinners in our ranks and it will be a good battle between them and the Indian batting line-up. Anything can happen in cricket, things can turn around in a couple of sessions. I'm sure if our spinners work well and we get a couple of partnerships on the board, we can make a match out of it. I'm sure India won't take us lightly as well. ”
