Rashid Khan reveals his favorite cricketers, picks all Indians but ignores Rohit Sharma

Afghanistan’s spin wizard Rashid Khan, who is known across the world for his magical spells, has once again hit the headlines, but this time, not for his bowling, but also for his fondness for the Indian cricketers. He showered rich praise on Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Hardik Pandya.

In a recent video that’s now going viral on social media, Rashid Khan made some interesting choices during an interaction with kids. When asked about his favorite batter, bowler, and all-rounder, the spin wizard has picked all the Indian game changers.

Rashid Khan picks Virat Kohli as his favorite batter

The Afghan sensation Rashid Khan named Virat Kohli as his favorite batter, Jasprit Bumrah as his favorite bowler, and Hardik Pandya as his favorite all-rounder, which highlighted his admiration for Indian cricket’s biggest match-winners across the formats.

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Rashid’s decision to select Kohli as his favorite batter is not surprising, as he is the highest run-scorer in IPL history and has smashed over 27,000 international runs. The Indian batting superstar is one of the greatest batters across the formats and a modern-era legend.

For the best bowler, Rashid went with Bumrah. India’s premier pacer has so far taken 443 international wickets and played a key role in India's T20 World Cup 2024 triumph last year. His calm nerves and deadly yorkers earned him the Player of the Tournament. He is currently one of the world’s most lethal and best bowlers in all three formats of the game.

Rashid Khan's love for Indian stars goes viral

Well, when it comes to all-rounders, Rashid has picked his former Gujarat Titans captain and Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya. They have lifted the IPL 2022 trophy together and helped GT reach the final in 2023. Hardik’s explosive batting, fast bowling, and smart leadership clearly impressed Rashid.

Met @rashidkhan_19 today at world famous Cricketershop in Mohali. When asked about his favourite cricketers-
Fav all-rounder - Hardik Pandya
Fav batter - Virat Kohli (or Virat Bhai as he calls him)
Fav bowler - Jasprit Bumrah#IPL2025 #Cricketershop #PBKSvRCB #GTvsMI pic.twitter.com/XEc7Y9oCrN

— Abhishek Kamal (@iamkamal18) May 29, 2025

Rashid Khan's last chance to roar as GT set to face MI in the Eliminator without Jos Buttler

Meanwhile, Rashid Khan is all set to be seen in action for the Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2025 Eliminator against the Mumbai Indians on Friday, May 30, in Mullanpur. However, Rashid has been far from his best this season, and he, along with GT, must be hoping the spinner will fire all guns against the MI.

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Rashid has managed only 9 wickets from 14 matches, and these numbers are far below his usual standards. He was once the Titans’ match-winner, but he is now struggling to make an impact. But now he would love to bring his A-game when it matters most in the Eliminator.

GT’s bowling attack will need Rashid’s magic more than ever to stop the power-packed Mumbai Indians’ batting line-up. The Titans have another setback ahead of the Eliminator, as Jos Buttler has already left the camp for national duty.

The former England captain has flown back home to prepare for an ODI series against the West Indies, leaving a huge hole in GT’s top order in the knockouts. On the other hand, MI will also be missing Will Jacks, who has also joined the England team, and Ryan Rickelton and Corbin Bosch, both of whom have returned to South Africa for the WTC Final preparations.