When Hashmatullah Shahidi travelled to India a fortnight ago, he was looking forward to leading Afghanistan in a historic one-off Test against New Zealand.
Despite making its Test debut six years ago, Afghanistan has so far featured in nine red-ball fixtures, and the face-off against the Black Caps got Shahidi excited.
However, incessant rain and wet outfield at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Stadium in Greater Noida led to abandonment of the first four days of play, and with rain forecast persisting on Friday, a complete washout looms large.
“Neither the rain nor the ground management is in our control. The only controllable for us was to prepare for the game and that we did for the last 10 days,” Shahidi told Sportstar on Thursday.
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While rain forced the players to stay indoors, Shahidi spent long hours at the gym, getting ready for the ODI series against South Africa, which will be played in the UAE next week. “We had a preparation camp before the Test, and we even played a three-day game against a local team. That helped us get a fair idea about the surface and the conditions, but I would say, we have been unlucky that we couldn’t play (because of the rains),” the Afghan captain said with a wry smile.
“I was excited for this game as this was an opportunity for us to see where we stand in terms of red-ball cricket. In Tests, New Zealand is among the top-five teams, so it was a huge opportunity. But the rain and the ground conditions are beyond our control. We have two more Tests this year against Zimbabwe and hopefully against Bangladesh, if it works out, and we need to ensure that we make the most of those opportunities,” he added.
While Afghanistan has gone on to prove its mettle in white-ball cricket, these are still early days for the team in the longer format, and Shahidi believes that the Ahmad Shah Abdali first-class tournament, which begins next week in the Nangarhar Province, will be a perfect opportunity for the youngsters to adapt to red-ball cricket.
“I keep telling the players that only batting in the nets won’t do, we need to prove ourselves on the field and show the world what we are capable of achieving in the longer format. We have that ability, and it’s just about experience and the mindset,” he said, adding: “Adjusting to the red ball will take some time, and once we can handle that, we will improve as a team…”
“Our first-class tournament will see four teams featuring in six games each and we are looking forward to it. It’s a good time to play those games, monitor the young players and improve. We have played only nine Tests in six years, and that’s not enough. The first-class tournament will be a good learning experience and also give us an idea in terms of unearthing newer talents,” the seasoned campaigner said.
The 29-year-old Shahidi has played eight Tests, 78 ODIs and six T20Is for Afghanistan in his decade-long career, but by his own admission, scoring runs in red-ball cricket gives him immense satisfaction. “I have a big responsibility on my shoulders as a captain in two formats. My aim is to take my team and the country to greater heights in Test cricket,” Shahidi, who has so far scored 485 runs in Tests, said.
“A lot of people find happiness in different things, but scoring runs for my team makes me the happiest. We are a good team in white-ball format and we have proven that to the world in the last couple of World Cups by beating big teams. Now, it’s time to emulate that in red-ball cricket as well,” he said with a smile.
“We should ensure that whenever we get a chance, we make the most of it. I want to score as many runs as possible for my team and lead from the front. If I can do that, I will be the happiest person,” he added.
Afghanistan is slated to play 22 Tests in the current FTP - from 2023 to 2027 - including one-off games against India, West Indies and Australia, and the captain expects his team to make every opportunity count.
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