Rashid Khan

[Jack1]

By a weird fluke I went to make this thread and it's his birthday. So happy birthday to him.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/afghanistan/content/player/793463.html

21 years old (today) and captains his country. 2/23 (T20I), 2/29 (T20I), 51 5/55 24 6/49 (test) and 13 3/26 (practice) are his last 4 games for Afghanistan.

Bowling averages all under 20 and under 12 in T20I. Batting average above 20 in FC , List A, test and ODI currently.

How good is he and how good can he be? Which teams could he get in the test team for and which couldn't he?

I am a big fan of this player and hope he continues to improve. Definitely one of the best current multi format cricketers.

I'd like to do a guess about his total wickets, but that's harder with him playing for Afghanistan. Maybe we should guess where his career averages will end up in all formats and review the thread in 10-15 years time.

 

[h_hurricane]

Averaging 18 or below with the ball in all formats of the game,without exception. Batting pretty handy as well. He is special and should end up as some one who would be talked a lot in cricket circles even after his retirement.

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

Best ever before and after photos as well.

 

[Jack1]

Averaging 18 or below with the ball in all formats of the game,without exception. Batting pretty handy as well. He is special and should end up as some one who would be talked a lot in cricket circles even after his retirement.

The thing is he doesn't look that difficult to play. Must be beating batsmen in the flight and coming onto them quicker than they think? Would love to try batting against him opposed to Kumble and then Warne. Be an interesting comparison. I think I would find Kumble the hardest to bat against personally but everyone has different techniques suited to different bowler.s. Obviously Khan has variety but he isn't a big turner. Interesting that he is causing so many issues and suspect part of that is psychological like Warne - self belief of the bowler getting under the batsman's skin also.

 

[the big bambino]

Something ***y about leg spinners, even the pudgy ones.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

He's fit af now. Would love to see him and Virat Kohli wrasssle

 

[Jack1]

Something ***y about leg spinners, even the pudgy ones.

I bowled leg spin as a junior so it's more interesting for me i guess

 

[TheJediBrah]

I wouldn't put any stock in his averages considering what proportion of his games have been against ordinary sides.

He's definitely a world class bowler with a huge future though, I just wouldn't be using his averages as proof of that

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

I wouldn't put any stock in his averages considering what proportion of his games have been against ordinary sides.

He's definitely a world class bowler with a huge future though, I just wouldn't be using his averages as proof of that

Can we use his age instead?

 

[TheJediBrah]

I guess. Spin bowlers historically improve dramatically from where they were in their early-20s. Shudder to think how good Rashid will be if he improves as much as, say, Warne did during that period of his life.

 

[Arachnodouche]

Age is more than just a number wink wink

 

[flibbertyjibber]

I wouldn't put any stock in his averages considering what proportion of his games have been against ordinary sides.

He's definitely a world class bowler with a huge future though, I just wouldn't be using his averages as proof of that

This is a fair comment, as good as his figures are he didn't do much in the world cup and is remembered more for being mullered by Morgan. Time will tell but he obviously has enormous potential.

 

[a massive zebra]

I wouldn't put any stock in his averages considering what proportion of his games have been against ordinary sides.

Against the top 9 Test teams he has 35 wickets @ 23.31 from 22 ODIs and 19 wickets @ 15.31 from 13 T201s.

 

[GoodAreasShane]

Rashid did have a poor World Cup, that is true, but his record against top sides outside of that is still very strong indeed. More likely just a patch of bad form than him being found out per se

 

[Jack1]

I guess. Spin bowlers historically improve dramatically from where they were in their early-20s. Shudder to think how good Rashid will be if he improves as much as, say, Warne did during that period of his life.

I read Warne's book and obviously followed the career. Forgot how many arm/shoulder operations he had. He did really rip the ball though and put everything into it. Rashid shouldn't have an issues like that. If he gains more natural bulk as he ages then he should get slightly more natural revs and natural pace. In that sense it's possible he will improve more than Warne did through his 20s but we will find out soon enough

Rashid did have a poor World Cup, that is true, but his record against top sides outside of that is still very strong indeed. More likely just a patch of bad form than him being found out per se

To be fair badly captained and he probably shouldn't have been picked (or at least only picked as an option not a 10 over bowler) on some of the seamer friendly surfaces served up. Afghanistan against England for example could have easily gone with an all seam attack plus Mujeeb. At Southampton Gulbadin's captaincy cost them the game by not only bowling spin - particularly over himself. Those two pitches and outfields it was like the difference between a small pitch in NZ and a slow wicket in the sub-continent. In that sense the variety of wickets prepared in the WC was at least decent I guess by the ICC. It's Afghanistan that didn't stay on their toes to adjust. Regardless, if you are going to pick a leg spinner he at least needs minor assistance. I would fancy smashing all Afghanistan's spinners bar Mujeeb on that dreadful surface for a spinner (with short boundaries) England played them on, but then again they only have themselves to blame for picking so many spinners and over bowling them in that particular game. The main point is that the better teams wouldn't play some seriously good spinners unless they are going to get some assistance from the surface and it's not going to just be a chip for 6. India have a few great spinners, but try not to over-expose them like Afghanistan did to theirs at times. Same for England who don't like to take the piss out their spinners either. Aware Afghanistan don't necessarily have great bowling depth but more of a horses for courses policy was required in the WC - they got a multitude of things wrong in the WC. Rashid being his own captain is going to be best for his development in my view and he should thrive with it.

Suppose players like Warne also had the luxury of more scoreboard pressure and a better bowler at the other end. Rashid is a great bowler all things considered whether he's playing weaker opposition or not I guess. What's interesting is you'd have thought he'd be easier to play than Warne but he doesn't seem to be. Warne looks easy to pick out the hand for someone that isn't a bunny, Rashid doesn't at all - must be a huge factor at play despite Warne turning it big most of his career and having in my opinion less good variety than Rashid.

 

[Jack1]

Against the top 9 Test teams he has 35 wickets @ 23.31 from 22 ODIs and 19 wickets @ 15.31 from 13 T201s.

Yeah he's a gun bowler. Every team would pick him in all formats if they had the chance I think. Pitch/ground dependant obviously. Some pitches and wickets you simply have no business bowling spin on like that Old Trafford situation in the CWC. I would have been concerned to bowl ultimate prime Warne at Morgan in that scenario, even prime Warne would have been clobbered by Morgan that day I think and so I'm trying not to let that downgrade Rashid in my eyes.

I think Morgan got dropped off Rashid too at some point which didn't help him. Had a few dropped catches during the tournament and going to be brutally honest - Afghanistan's fielding isn't too clever at times both on the ground and catching. Players like Warne had the luxury of playing for a team that was extremely good in the field so Rashid's average is slightly inflated due to this (although I concede he's played plenty of weaker sides).

 

[Migara]

Yeah he's a gun bowler. Every team would pick him in all formats if they had the chance I think. Pitch/ground dependant obviously. Some pitches and wickets you simply have no business bowling spin on like that Old Trafford situation in the CWC. I would have been concerned to bowl ultimate prime Warne at Morgan in that scenario, even prime Warne would have been clobbered by Morgan that day I think and so I'm trying not to let that downgrade Rashid in my eyes.

I think Morgan got dropped off Rashid too at some point which didn't help him. Had a few dropped catches during the tournament and going to be brutally honest - Afghanistan's fielding isn't too clever at times both on the ground and catching. Players like Warne had the luxury of playing for a team that was extremely good in the field so Rashid's average is slightly inflated due to this (although I concede he's played plenty of weaker sides).

Prime Warne is not the epitome of ODI spin bowling. Prime Murali or more suitable prime Saqlain fits that bill.

 

[Jack1]

Prime Warne is not the epitome of ODI spin bowling. Prime Murali or more suitable prime Saqlain fits that bill.

Warne's a leggie (as is Rashid). Murali and Saqlain aren't.

 

[Daemon]

Prime Warne is not the epitome of ODI spin bowling. Prime Murali or more suitable prime Saqlain fits that bill.

Nowhere did John suggest otherwise. Warne is just an apt comparison because they’re both legspinners who don’t bowl with bent elbows.

 

[stephen]

Prime Warne is not the epitome of ODI spin bowling. Prime Murali or more suitable prime Saqlain fits that bill.

No need to try and turn everything into Warne vs Murali.

At the very least Warne is the best ODI leg spinner in history and Rashid bowls leg spin. So it makes sense to compare the two.

Rashid has a game much more suited to the short form than the long IMO. He bowls very quickly through the air, which is great for keeping runs down. I don't think he'll be quite as effective in longer form cricket, particularly inn unresponsive surfaces but Afghanistan probably isn't going to play a huge amount of longer form cricket compared to ODI/t20 cricket anyway.

I do love watching him bowl. Got a good look at him in the bbl and was disappointed with his returns in the world cup.

I'm pretty sure he's at least 25, regardless of what his birth certificate says.