Afghanistan’s inaugural Test match against India at Bengaluru will begin on June 14, 2018, and a dream will come true for the war-torn country. Their fairytale life story which started with extreme hardships will come to a brilliant landmark of becoming a Test nation.
The Afghanistan team has some brilliant cricketers, some of whom are global stars already, while some have created a niche for themselves. They will be going up against some of the most seasoned Test cricketers of the no.1 ranked Test team in the world, India.
Both teams are currently busy making plans for their opposition numbers and the Test match will be rich with top players going against their nemesis. Player battles will be interesting, to say the least, and we bring to you five such key player battles to look out for in the Bengaluru Test.
Here are the five key player battles to keep an eye out for during the Bengaluru Test
Mujeeb Ur Rahman v Cheteshwar Pujara
17-year-old Mujeeb Ur Rahman captured the attention of everyone during IPL 2018 as he bamboozled one batsman after another, playing for Kings XI Punjab. He was at the top of his game and for someone who learned bowling from watching YouTube; Mujeeb had amazing control over his bowling.
However, Mujeeb has still not experienced the rigors of four-day or five-day cricket, while India has experienced batsmen who can deal with his mystery spin. The best of the lot is Cheteshwar Pujara, who has held the no.3 position after the retirement of Rahul Dravid with the same poise and dignity.
The clash of these two will let out a shower of sparks, as the guile and talent of a young spinner will come up against a seasoned veteran who has proved his mettle against the best of bowlers around the world. Their battle will definitely be a learning curve for young Mujeeb and a new experience for Pujara.
Mohammad Shahzad v Dinesh Karthik
Mohammad Shahzad might be making his Test debut for Afghanistan, but his opposite number in India’s Dinesh Karthik is making his re-debut of a kind. Karthik will wear the Test whites as a member of Indian Test XI after a period of 8 years.
Both Shahzad and Karthik are very good keepers with a flair for flamboyance behind the stumps. Where Karthik is serious and brilliant, Shahzad is adequate and chirpy, with antics dialed to 11. Shahzad has already proved himself to be one of the best entertainers in T20 cricket, but it will be interesting to see the portly frame of his keeping wickets for over after over in Test cricket, instead of 20 overs or 50 overs in a day.
Karthik, on the other hand, has been safe and sound behind the stumps and has seen a resurgence in front of stumps with the bat and will be looking to impress the selectors and book a ticket to England, with a solid performance in his first Test since 2010.
Asghar Stanikzai v Ravichandran Ashwin
Afghanistan captain Asghar Stanikzai has been a brilliant batsman for his team and has brilliantly led the team since the retirement of Nawroz Mangal.
He has experience of 23 FC matches and has scored 5 centuries. Stanikzai's aptitude to occupy the crease is a significant asset to the side and something that will come in handy when he leads the Afghan team into their first ever Test.
However, Stanikzai will face the tough challenge of facing one of the best off-spinners in the world today in Ravichandran Ashwin. Stanikzai’s technique and temperament will be tested in abundance by Ashwin’s guile and ability.
Ashwin has outfoxed the best of the best in Test cricket since his debut and as the premier strike bowler for India; he will be tasked with bowling out the Afghan batting lineup.
Mohammad Nabi v Hardik Pandya
Mohammad Nabi has been a pillar in the Afghanistan setup and has performed for them with both bat and ball in his hand.
With 1251 runs and 86 wickets in FC cricket for Afghanistan, Nabi has solidified himself as a vital cog in the team and has often dug his team out of trouble. His calm demeanor and cool head under pressure came in handy when he led the team and now plays the role of a senior player to the younger lot.
On the other hand, Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya will be coming off a satisfactory performance in IPL 2018, where his bowling did more of the talking than his batting.
Hardik will play a big role in the upcoming cricketing season for India and this will be the warm-up for the important England tour. His aggressive batting against spinners might come in handy in upsetting the rhythm of Afghan bowlers and his nippy bowling might trouble the opposition batting.
Rashid Khan v Ajinkya Rahane
Rashid Khan has grown leaps and bounds since breaking onto the international scene for Afghanistan. Still 19-years-old, Rashid has made a big name for himself in the T20 format for Afghanistan and in the various T20 leagues he plays in. He finished the IPL 2018 with 21 wickets for eventual finalists SRH.
His biggest examination will be dislodging the best batsman in the Indian batting lineup and captain Ajinkya Rahane. Despite the obvious disappointment of Virat Kohli missing out, Rahane is a brilliant batsman in his own right and Rashid will be employed by the Afghan captain to neutralize his impact in the one-off Test.
Rashid Khan has been a star for Afghanistan and they will rely heavily on him to run through the Indian batting side, something that will be an extremely difficult task for the young leggie, who has played just 4 FC matches and picked up 35 wickets in them, with a best of 8/74.
Rahane, on the other hand, has a watertight technique and is quite adept at tackling both spinners and quick bowlers and will be the lynchpin of the Indian batting.
