Afghanistan, despite its bowlers striking five times in the last session to stage a comeback, will feel a little let down by the proceedings on day one of its debut Test against India at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Thursday.
And Afghan fast bowler, Yamin Ahmadzai, admitted that “we felt a little nervous in the first session."
READ: Afghanistan fights back to reduce India to 347/6 after Dhawan, Vijay tons
"We bowled too many loose balls, which cost us runs. After lunch, (captain) Asghar (Stanikzai) told us to be defensive and stop the flow of runs. He told us not to experiment too much, and not to chase wickets. This new plan worked well," Ahmadzai said.
However, Ahmadzai felt India was a far better side on the given day. “We have played the (first-class international tournament) Intercontinental Cup, so we had some idea about the long format. But the difference was that we played against a much better side here,” Ahmadzai said.
The pacer, who returned figures of 2 for 32, talked about an apparent surge of emotions ahead of the 'historic event'. “This is a dream come true for our nation. It was enjoyable, and a little stressful. For a cricketer, gaining a Test cap is the most important thing in his life. I can’t explain how good it feels.”
READ: Shikhar Dhawan: Facing Rashid in SRH nets gave an advantage
The 25-year-old pacer also backed team-mate Rashid Khan to come good in the last session. Rashid, whose ascent to the top of the bowling charts in limited-overs cricket, has made him a sensation in T20s, struggled to make a mark, conceding 120 runs for just one wicket. “Early on, he (Rashid) was trying too much. He changed and started bowling wicket to wicket. The ball began to grip well, so he made a good comeback,” Ahmadzai said.
Comments
SHARE