Rashid Khan: I have got to ensure I don't panic against India

Afghan spinner Rashid Khan celebrates the wicket of Ireland's Niall O'Brien during an ODI in Sharjah last December. Pic/AFP

The crown prince of cricket's slam-bang version, Afghanistan star Rashid Khan says he is prepared for the "test of patience" that awaits him in the country's five-day debut against India, where all he wants is to keep the jangling nerves at bay.

The historic Test against the World No. 1 side, which would be without talismanic skipper Virat Kohli, starts June 14 in Bangalore. "Being a Test cricketer is not a lot different to playing ODIs and T20s," Rashid, the world's No. 1 T20 bowler, told PTI here.

'Done well'
And since he doesn't see much of difference, Rashid said he won't be tweaking his style of bowling at all. "I have done well in whatever four-day opportunities that I have got. If I make changes in my bowling thinking about the Test, it will not be good for me. I will bowl with the same speed I have been bowling so far," he said. "I have to make sure that I don't panic. I know there will be a phase where I won't pick up a wicket for 20 overs. And I could pick up two in two overs.

It is Test cricket," he explained. "It is going to be a test of patience. There is a possibility that I might end up being wicketless," he conceded. Rashid hasn't been home for a year and lost a friend to one of Afghanistan's several terror attacks quite recently but is determined to be in the best possible frame of mind on the field for the sake of his "troubled people".

Impact knock
The 10-ball 34 in the T20 Qualifier against Kolkata was without doubt one of the impact T20 knocks this year. But ask him about his phenomenal rise and the all-rounder prefers to talk it down. "I never thought in my life that I would be able to achieve so much in such a short time. It is like a dream," he said.

And an extension of this dream has been the wholesome praise coming from Sachin Tendulkar, who called him the world's best T20 bowler right now. "Sachin's tweet was unreal. I kept on thinking for hours what to reply to him. I was really happy. Virat [Kohli], [MS] Dhoni also praised me. It lifts your confidence a lot when they compliment you," he said.

Also Read: Rashid Khan Stars Again As Afghanistan Outclass Bangladesh In T20 Series Opener

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