Players like Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble etc. have been role models for generations to follow. Not only Indian players but many international players have also followed these cricketers to become successful players in the game. Among them is Afghanistan’s spin sensation Rashid Khan. The 23-year-old has revealed that he admired the legendary Tendulkar, Kumble and Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi. The leg-spinner also said that he didn’t hope of becoming a cricketer as there was no proper Afghanistan team at that time.
“I wasn't the kind of player with a mindset of hitting sixes”
“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, and boundaries. I don't know how and why I changed my mind to now mainly focusing on hitting sixes," the Afghanistan spinner told ESPNcricinfo.
"Bowling-wise, definitely Shahid Afridi and Anil Kumble. Even at home, playing against my brothers, I was bowling quicker leg-spin [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," he added.
Didn’t think of becoming a cricketer
Rashid is currently Afghanistan’s leading wicket-taker in the T20I format with 95 wickets from 51 T20Is. Overall, he is fifth on the list of top T20I wicket-takers and has a chance to get past a few during Afghanistan’s T20 World Cup campaign
“I used to dream about these three players and imagine being them. We didn't have a proper Afghanistan team back then and there were no hopes for us to be international cricketers, so watching them was a great, great time. And now when I meet them, it is more than a dream," Rashid recalled.
