Shahbaz Nadeem eyes national call-up by making the most of A' tour to South Africa

Shahbaz Nadeem has produced consistent performances for the Jharkhand side in the Ranji Trophy. For two consecutive seasons, the spinner emerged as the leading wicket-taker. But his call-up to the national side is yet to come. Nadeem, however, is hoping to make his contributions count in the upcoming tour of South Africa, where India A and South Africa A will play two unofficial Tests.

Nadeem said that he has previously toured South Africa for playing cricket two to three times and tasted success. He has learnt from the experience of playing there, which he will use to the best of his ability in the upcoming tour. If he performs well, he might just earn a call-up when the national teams of India and South Africa meet next.

“I’ve played in South Africa on 2-3 occasions previously and had good success there. In those conditions, you have to be more precise with your line and length because the pitches aren’t conducive to spinners. You have to depend on your pace variation as well. These are things I have learnt and I hope to make that experience count this time around. If I can perform well, I’m optimistic of getting a chance for India soon,” Nadeem told TOI.

Nadeem knows how important the tour to South Africa is, which is why he is leaving no stone unturned to give himself as many practice opportunities as possible. Since the monsoons often play spoilsport to cricket in Jharkhand, Nadeem has thought of enrolling himself in the TNCA first division league to stay connected with cricket and not lose focus.

“This is my first year in the TNCA league. Generally, there are no matches at this time of the year in Jharkhand because it’s the rainy season back home. In previous years, I used to just train during the off-season but with the ‘A’ tour coming up, I thought this would be a great opportunity for me to get some valuable match practice. The TNCA league is one of the best in the country and the conditions in Chennai are not that easy,” Nadeem explained.

Giving an interview on the birthday of Jharkhand captain and former India captain MS Dhoni’s birthday, the 27-year-old couldn’t stop himself from lavishing praises on his mentor.

“Dhoni’s presence in the Jharkhand dressing room has been of immense help. He is always looking to impart his cricketing nous to the others. Earlier, we were known as a good one-day side. But ever since Dhoni has started spending more time with the team, our Ranji results have also improved. As far as my bowling is concerned, he has stressed on being more patient and that is yielding results,” Nadeem said.