Lalchand Rajput comes to India's rescue as Rashid Khan's threat looms large

Afghanistan is currently playing a T20I series against Bangladesh in Dehradun and will be soon travelling to Bangalore to face India. They will make their debut in the longest format against number 1 team in the world at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 14. The spinners of the visitors, Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, are being touted as the biggest threat for the Indian team. However, the former cricketer Lalchand Rajput believes that the hosts should go for the green pitch and unleash their pacers in the Test match.

The Indian team will be playing without some of their key players in the one-off game as Ajinkya Rahane will lead the troops. Despite the likes of Virat Kohli, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah missing the encounter, India are the favourites to win the game but they will have to be wary of the spin threat of the opposition. Many believe that Afghanistan has the ability to create an upset if they spinners bowl immaculate lines much like they do in the limited overs formats.

How to neutralise Rashid?

Lalchand Rajput has suggested India to prepare the pitch with a lot of grass on it at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. He believes that the Indian pacers will wreck havoc in the opposition batting line-up and Afghanistan also are missing their best bowler on this tour as Dawlat Zadran has been injured. However, he also admitted that the home team will struggle against Rashid if they present a turning wicket to him.

“On a turning wicket, Rashid will be dangerous. If we give Afghanistan a turning wicket, we’ll perish, because they have at least three good spinners. Their fast bowling attack is comparatively much weaker. Dawlat Zadran is injured and Shapoor Zadran is past his prime. The best option for India is to go for a ‘green top’ and unleash their pacers, who can then even finish off the match inside three days,” he was quoted as saying by Times of India.

Rajput also spilt the beans on how to neutralise their best spinner Rashid Khan during the Test match. “It’s very simple. If you try to hit him, you’ll end up giving away your wicket. To negotiate him, you’ve to play on the front foot, and not go on the back foot at all. You’ve to try and not overpower him, but milk him for singles,” the former cricketer added who has now been appointed the coach of Zimbabwe.

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