BENGALURU: Statistically, it is a vintage David vs Goliath showdown yet contextually, it's the starting of a historical new bankruptcy in world cricket as world No.1 India take on a war-ravaged-but-resilient Afghanistan in their first ever Test fit on Thursday.
ALSO READ: India is not going to take Afghanistan flippantly, says Rahane
While majority of the sports activities enthusiasts, in soul and spirit, will probably be in Russia enjoying the surreal abilities of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, the eternal cricket romantic will attempt to derive his little pleasures of life observing Rashid Khan trying to hurry Shikhar Dhawan with a flipper or bowl a googly to Ajinkya Rahane.
There is always a fearful anticipation related to efficiency of a new group but the politico-social narrative related to Afghanistan gives the game a unique context.
On the skin, it's only another Test fit yet it's a lot past that.
The Rashids, Mujeeb Zadrans and Mohammed Shahzads want to put their best foot forward in trying to no less than supply their countrymen a safe haven in carrying good fortune.
India had been Afghanistan's close allies and the BCCI has proven magnanimity in opening their stadiums in order that the nationwide group can follow.
But come Thursday, Rahane's India is not going to spare an inch as they're anticipated to place up a ruthless display.
ALSO READ: Dinesh Karthik prepared to make an impact
No marvel the enduring CLR James line is still so relevant "What do they know of Cricket who only Cricket Know."
India, sans their common skipper Virat Kohli together with two frontline bowlers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah, will glance to file a comprehensive win earlier than embarking on their long and grueling tour of England.
For Afghanistan, it is going to be a combat of attrition that they've never ever faced earlier than. Test cricket is a unique beast and Rashid's actual combat starts now.
That he is a smart four-over bowler, is a known and stated reality.
However, the acid Test will start when he bowls that fifth over. The intelligence will probably be examined during the 15th over, persistence during the 23rd over and endurance during the 40th over.
More importantly, will Rashid have the ability to take care of his fast arm velocity over after over.
As Afghanistan trainer Phil Simmons mentioned, his males may not understand what is Test cricket till they get onto the field.
With no drive of asking price, a Murali Vijay or a Chesteshwar Pujara, if set, will play at their very own tempo. The Indian batsmen in their very own backyard are not known to tug again punches.
Can a 17-year-old Mujeeb, who hasn't played a unmarried four-day sport in his occupation, bother a KL Rahul with whom he shared the IPL dressing room on the Kings XI Punjab?
This time he may not have Ravichandran Ashwin's guidance. Instead Ashwin may pass on a couple of precious inputs to his batsmen on how you can tackle Mujeeb.
Will Shahzad have the ability to curb his natural attacking instinct as the five-day layout calls for other attritional abilities?
That Afghanistan have no idea how tricky it might get could be gauged from their skipper Asghar Stanikzai's pompous claims that his spinners are better than the house group.
When Dinesh Karthik was once asked, his singular observation made it transparent what the group considered it.
"Our Kuldeep Yadav (2 Tests) has played more first-class games than all their spinners put together. I know from where its coming but I wouldn't to harp too much on that," Karthik mentioned.
However, the Indians having watched and played against Rashid will probably be wary of what he can do.
That's the reason the Indian group management may just choose a difficult bouncy monitor realizing full smartly that a rank turner may just boomerang on them.
The problem with Afghanistan might not be their spinners yet their batsmen.
How smartly Shahzad, Mohammed Nabi negotiate Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja will have an instantaneous impact on the kind of combat Afghanistan will have the ability to placed on.
And even earlier than that they are going to have to counter the disconcerting jump generated by way of Ishant Sharma and the tempo labored up by way of Umesh Yadav.
As Kevin Pietersen mentioned during his MAK Pataudi Lecture, so much depends upon their "ability to take lessons from the nets into the heat of battle".
Ireland had post a decent combat against Pakistan on their Test debut yet once more it was once Kevin O'Brien who was once the silver lining within the batting department.
But no matter be the outcome, "a beautiful journey" has already begun for Afghanistan.
Squads:
India: Ajinkya Rahane (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Hardik Pandya, Shardul Thakur, Navdeep Saini, Ravichandran Ashwin. Ravindra Jadeja. Kuldeep Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav.
Afghanistan: Ashgar Stanikzai (captain), Mohammed Shahzad, Javed Ahmadi, Rahmat Shah, Ihsanullah Janat, Nasir Jamal, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Afsar Zazai, Mohammed Nabi, Rashid Khan, Zahir Khan, Amir Hamza Hotak, Sayed Ahmad Shirzad, Yamin Ahmadzai Wafadar, Mujeeb ur Rahman.
ALSO READ: India is not going to take Afghanistan flippantly, says Rahane
While majority of the sports activities enthusiasts, in soul and spirit, will probably be in Russia enjoying the surreal abilities of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, the eternal cricket romantic will attempt to derive his little pleasures of life observing Rashid Khan trying to hurry Shikhar Dhawan with a flipper or bowl a googly to Ajinkya Rahane.
There is always a fearful anticipation related to efficiency of a new group but the politico-social narrative related to Afghanistan gives the game a unique context.
On the skin, it's only another Test fit yet it's a lot past that.
The Rashids, Mujeeb Zadrans and Mohammed Shahzads want to put their best foot forward in trying to no less than supply their countrymen a safe haven in carrying good fortune.
India had been Afghanistan's close allies and the BCCI has proven magnanimity in opening their stadiums in order that the nationwide group can follow.
But come Thursday, Rahane's India is not going to spare an inch as they're anticipated to place up a ruthless display.
ALSO READ: Dinesh Karthik prepared to make an impact
No marvel the enduring CLR James line is still so relevant "What do they know of Cricket who only Cricket Know."
India, sans their common skipper Virat Kohli together with two frontline bowlers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah, will glance to file a comprehensive win earlier than embarking on their long and grueling tour of England.
For Afghanistan, it is going to be a combat of attrition that they've never ever faced earlier than. Test cricket is a unique beast and Rashid's actual combat starts now.
That he is a smart four-over bowler, is a known and stated reality.
However, the acid Test will start when he bowls that fifth over. The intelligence will probably be examined during the 15th over, persistence during the 23rd over and endurance during the 40th over.
More importantly, will Rashid have the ability to take care of his fast arm velocity over after over.
As Afghanistan trainer Phil Simmons mentioned, his males may not understand what is Test cricket till they get onto the field.
With no drive of asking price, a Murali Vijay or a Chesteshwar Pujara, if set, will play at their very own tempo. The Indian batsmen in their very own backyard are not known to tug again punches.
Can a 17-year-old Mujeeb, who hasn't played a unmarried four-day sport in his occupation, bother a KL Rahul with whom he shared the IPL dressing room on the Kings XI Punjab?
This time he may not have Ravichandran Ashwin's guidance. Instead Ashwin may pass on a couple of precious inputs to his batsmen on how you can tackle Mujeeb.
Will Shahzad have the ability to curb his natural attacking instinct as the five-day layout calls for other attritional abilities?
That Afghanistan have no idea how tricky it might get could be gauged from their skipper Asghar Stanikzai's pompous claims that his spinners are better than the house group.
When Dinesh Karthik was once asked, his singular observation made it transparent what the group considered it.
"Our Kuldeep Yadav (2 Tests) has played more first-class games than all their spinners put together. I know from where its coming but I wouldn't to harp too much on that," Karthik mentioned.
However, the Indians having watched and played against Rashid will probably be wary of what he can do.
That's the reason the Indian group management may just choose a difficult bouncy monitor realizing full smartly that a rank turner may just boomerang on them.
The problem with Afghanistan might not be their spinners yet their batsmen.
How smartly Shahzad, Mohammed Nabi negotiate Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja will have an instantaneous impact on the kind of combat Afghanistan will have the ability to placed on.
And even earlier than that they are going to have to counter the disconcerting jump generated by way of Ishant Sharma and the tempo labored up by way of Umesh Yadav.
As Kevin Pietersen mentioned during his MAK Pataudi Lecture, so much depends upon their "ability to take lessons from the nets into the heat of battle".
Ireland had post a decent combat against Pakistan on their Test debut yet once more it was once Kevin O'Brien who was once the silver lining within the batting department.
But no matter be the outcome, "a beautiful journey" has already begun for Afghanistan.
Squads:
India: Ajinkya Rahane (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Hardik Pandya, Shardul Thakur, Navdeep Saini, Ravichandran Ashwin. Ravindra Jadeja. Kuldeep Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav.
Afghanistan: Ashgar Stanikzai (captain), Mohammed Shahzad, Javed Ahmadi, Rahmat Shah, Ihsanullah Janat, Nasir Jamal, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Afsar Zazai, Mohammed Nabi, Rashid Khan, Zahir Khan, Amir Hamza Hotak, Sayed Ahmad Shirzad, Yamin Ahmadzai Wafadar, Mujeeb ur Rahman.
Afghanistan set for 'Test' run in and against India
![Afghanistan set for 'Test' run in and against India]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
June 13, 2018
Rating:
