Batting-Wise, I Always Loved Watching Sachin Tendulkar: Rashid Khan

Afghanistan’s decorated bowling all-rounder Rashid Khan said he loved watching Indian legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar bat during his childhood.

Rashid Khan is well known for his wizardry leg-spin deliveries that he uses often to deceive the batters.

In the last couple of years, Rashid is trying to adapt himself into a pinch-hitter and is also seen deploying some unorthodox shots to fetch boundaries.

I always loved watching Sachin Tendulkar: Rashid Khan

Rashid admitted that he was never fond of playing big shots and would reserve his batting to the conventional method.

“Batting-wise, I always loved watching Sachin Tendulkar. [Back then] I wasn’t the kind of player with a mindset of hitting sixes. I loved playing down the ground, singles, boundaries. I don’t know how and why I changed my mind to now mainly focusing on hitting sixes,” Rashid told Cricket Monthly.

Loved watching Anil Kumble and Shahid Afridi on TV: Rashid Khan

The 23-year-old is currently ranked No.3 in ICC Men’s T2oI bowling rankings.

Rashid has picked 269 international wickets and is just five shy of completing 100 wickets in T20I cricket.

The Afghanistan leg-spinner said that India’s Anil Kumble and Pakistan’s star all-rounder Shahid Afridi were his role models to bowl leg-spin during his early days.

“Definitely Shahid Afridi and Anil Kumble. Even at home, playing against my brothers, I was bowling quicker legspin [like Afridi and Kumble]. I loved watching them on TV. I still watch videos [of them] on YouTube – there are so many things I learned from them and still do,” Rashid mentioned.

Rashid was named Afghanistan’s captain for the T20 World Cup initially but the bowler said his consent was never sought before naming the squad.

Rashid’s Sunrisers Hyderabad teammate Mohammad Nabi was named captain after the former stepped down moments after Afghanistan Cricket Board announced the T20 World Cup squad.

Afghanistan are clubbed with India, Pakistan and New Zealand and two more teams in Group 2 of the Super 12 stage.

Also Read: Rashid Khan Picks His 6 Most Competitive Spinners In The Current Era, Heaps Praise On The Indian Spinner