'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
14th June will be a historic day for Afghanistan as they will become the 12th nation to play test cricket. Their growth in the International cricket has been phenomenal and they have proved their calibre in the last few years.
Having achieved relative success in the T20 and ODI format, this is the big break for the Afghanistan players. The rise of Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, and Mohammad Shahzad has been excellent in the last couple of years.
Afghanistan will make their Test debut against the number one Test team and they cannot ask for a better way to make their Test debut. The historic Test game between India and Afghanistan will be played in Bangalore from June 14.
Though the Twenty20 format is not a parameter to judge a team's performance whether a team will perform or not in the Test format, the way Afghanistan has performed in the limited-overs format, they will give a strong performance in the longest format of the game.
On the other hand, it is the best opportunity for the Indian team to prepare themselves for the tough tour of England. India will play the Test game without their regular skipper Virat Kohli and main bowlers Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami.
However, India will not take them lightly, knowing Afghanistan's current form. Here we take a look at the few players whose performance will be key to their team's success.
#5 KL Rahul
He has always been someone who has been a part of the test squad as a backup opener for Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay.
But he is capable of much more than that. He started his career as the pure Test player. Though he is a good opener, he should bat in the middle-order as the team requires some stability in the lower middle-order.
The Indian opener KL Rahul has been in tremendous form since the start of the 11th edition of Indian Premier League. Rahul, who had a successful IPL season with Kings XI Punjab, will be full of confidence facing the likes of Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
Having already faced his KXIP team-mate Mujeeb Ur Rahman in the nets, it will not be a problem for Rahul to face Mujeeb in the Test game. Rahul has scored 1458 runs in 23 Test matches that he played at a good average of 40.02.
#4 Mohammad Shahzad
The Afghanistan wicket-keeper and swashbuckling opener, Mohammad Shahzad has a good record in the limited-overs format of the game.
Earmarked a T20 specialist due to lack of opportunities in the longer formats. Shahzad recently stole headlines when he said that he did not need to work on his diet as he could hit longer sixes than Virat Kohli.
With the world watching the inaugural test between India and Afghanistan, Mohammad Shahzad would like to use the opportunity to grab the headlines again in the on-field.
In 2016, he was named as ICC Associate and Affiliate Cricketer of the Year. Mohammad Shahzad has played 20 First-Class matches and scored 1582 runs with the best knock of 214 against Canada. He also affected 61 dismissals in his First-Class career.
#3 Mujeeb Ur Rahman
Mujeeb Ur Rahman was an unknown identity on the world until he was picked by the Kings XI Punjab at the auction for Rs. 4 crore.
The 17-year-old Afghanistan spinner reposed the faith of the owners with his brilliant performances in IPL 11. The injured Rahman missed a last couple of games and went on to finish the tournament with 14 wickets from 11 games.
The highlight was when he dismissed the Indian skipper Virat Kohli with his googly and celebrated one of his best wickets.
Despite having no experience in the First-Class matches, he was included in the Test squad for his magical performance in IPL.
Mujeeb will trouble the Indian batsmen if there is a turn on the M. Chinnaswamy wicket.
#2 Dinesh Karthik
Dinesh Karthik, who last played a test match against Bangladesh in 2010, has been included in the Test squad after eight years.
The gate was opened for him after the retirement of MS Dhoni from Tests in 2014. But, Wriddhiman Saha was constantly picked in the Test squad ahead of him.
Finally, the Tamil Nadu wicket-keeper has been included in the squad to replace injured Wriddhiman Saha.
The Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Karthik had a successful outing with the bat in the IPL. Karthik might stay as the main wicket-keeper in the team if he is able to perform against Afghanistan.
Karthik has scored exactly 1000 runs in 23 Test matches at an average of 27.78.
#1 Rashid Khan
What Kohli is to the Indian team, Khan is to Afghanistan team - a match winner. Rashid Khan can trouble the batsmen with his deliveries irrespective of the wicket.
The No.1 T20 bowler has been in phenomenal form in the limited-overs format, especially in the shortest format of the game.
Khan's consistent performances around the world earned him a tag of Best T20 bowler at present from the legendary Sachin Tendulkar during the 11th edition of Indian Premier League.
He has played just four First-Class games and bagged 35 wickets with the best bowling figure of 8/74.
Khan has to show he can also turn the red ball to generate the same effect like he does with the white ball.
Who do you think will have the most impact on the one-off test match? Sound off in the comments section below!
Brand-new app in a brand-new avatar! Download CricRocket for fast cricket scores, rocket flicks, super notifications and much more! 🚀☄️
