Phil Simmons is impressed with 19-year-old Rashid Khan's maturity

The 19-year-old Afghanistan leggie Rashid Khan has turned the cricketing world upside down with his all-round performance. Rashid was picked up by the Sunrisers Hyderabad this season after his stellar debut in the Indian Premier League (IPL) last season. For the Sunrisers this season, the leggie was the second best player after their skipper Kane Williamson.

Since the end of the IPL, Rashid has played for World XI in a T20I charity match against Windies. He picked up a couple of wickets for his side and was a prime attraction in the game where both the teams were studded with stars. He has a lot of international cricket and crucial series’ to play in the coming months. Afghanistan will make their Test debut against the mighty Indians in their own backyard.

30-year-old mind

Ahead of the only Test, the team’s head coach Phil Simmons feels his lack of experience will not stand in Rashid’s way when he takes field in the longest format as he has a “30-year-old mind in a 19-year-old body”.

“Rashid is all of 19 but he has got the mind of a 30-year-old. He knows exactly what is expected of him,” added the West Indian.

Alongside the leggie, Afghanistan’s mystery spinner Mujeeb-ur-Rahman comes to the play. The mystery spinner played a vital role in Kings XI Punjab‘s dominant start to the IPL this season. “But yes, Mujeeb (17 years) is younger but we will have to see how he copes up with it,” Simmons said during an interaction with the reporters.

Rashid’s first-class experience

Further, the Afghan coach was confident that Rashid will be able to replicate his first-class success in Indian against the likes of Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane.

“It is about them (Rashid and Mujeeb) showing patience too along with our batsmen. Rashid did well against Ireland in four day cricket last year. He got wickets. He played against practice games against England and he got wickets. It is not best preparation ahead of the historic Test but Simmons is working hard with the two squads simultaneously,” he concluded.

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