Afghanistan's star bowler Rashid Khan feels he is ready and prepared for the "test of patience", that will be also be Afghanistan's Test debut in cricket. The right arm spinner is to keep things simple and his nervousness at bay. The historic Test against the top Test team, India is to be played on 14th June at Bengaluru.
"Being a Test cricketer is not a lot different to playing ODIs and T20s," the 19-year-old Rashid, world's number 1 T20 bowler said in an interview. After an amazing IPL, Rashid Khan has thought of not to change his style of bowling.
"I have done well in whatever four-day opportunities that I have got. If I make changes in my bowling thinking about the Test, it will not be good for me. I will bowl with the same speed I have been bowling so far," he added
"I have to make sure that I don't panic. I know there will be a phase where I won't pick up a wicket for 20 overs. And I could pick up two in two overs. It is Test cricket," he described.
"It is going to be a test of patience. There is a possibility that I might end up being wicketless," he acknowledged.
It has been almost a year that the latter has not gone back to his home and he even lost a close friend to one of Afghanistan's various terror attack that took place quite recently, but definitely, the player is purposeful to make his country proud by winning matches for his nation.
"I have not gone home in a year. I miss my family and friends a lot. It also hurts a lot to hear about blasts back home. Even in the IPL (for Sunrisers Hyderabad) when there was a blast in my hometown, I was really upset. I lost a friend in that," he added.
"Another one of my friends had called me that day and asked why I was not my usual smiling self in the game.
"So, all these incidents do affect me a lot but I try to keep myself in the best possible frame of mind to give a good performance on the field so that the troubled people back home get something to cheer about," he said.
In the latest IPL edition, he had also played the knock of his life after hammering 34 runs in just 10 deliveries against Kolkata Knight Riders. But asking him about his phenomenal rise and the all-rounder prefers to talk it down. "I never thought in my life that I would be able to achieve so much in such a short time. It is like a dream," he urged.
Many other famous cricketing celebrities have shown interest in Rashid's performance, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni has praised his bowling skill in the latest IPL season. Sachin's heartfelt tweet for young Rashid kept him tangled what to reply back.
"Sachin's tweet was unreal. I kept on thinking for hours what to reply to him. I was really happy. Virat also praised me a lot and Dhoni also during the course of the IPL. It lifts your confidence a lot when they compliment you," he said.
He has recommenced his national duty after playing a charity match in London against the Windies to which the World's XI side lost the game cheaply.
"Last two months, in facts last two years have been very good for me. Since I have joined the national team, I got the success that I wanted. I am very happy with that. I am enjoying the game and that is why I am doing well," said Rashid.
Talking about the depth of Afghanistan's severely-short-of-experience Test team, he said: "We have a good pool of players at the First Class level back in Afghanistan. They just need a little polishing and experience."
On the other hand, Rashid Khan's spinning partner, Mujeeb Zadran can also make a difference in the Test colours as the player was an astounding form in IPL for Kings XI until he got injured in the second half of the tournament.
Young Mujeeb has been in a superb form, and he even has a lot of skills and cricket to be played. He can back Rashid Khan's bowling that can make Afghanistan off to a flying start in the Test cricket.
