'He is a Left-Handed Rashid Khan': GT Assistant Coach on Teenager's Rise to Success in IPL 2023
Noor Ahmad has been a revelation in IPL 2023 (IPLT20.com)
In the current season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the cricketing fraternity has been abuzz with talk of the Afghan spin twins at the Gujarat Titans (GT) - Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad. The duo has proven to be a formidable force, snaring 28 wickets between them and causing problems for opposition teams.
On Friday’s match against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) at Jaipur, the pair's exceptional performance helped the defending champions dismiss their rivals for just 118. The spin duo was instrumental in bowling the home side out as they took a total of five wickets, leaving Rajasthan struggling to stay in the game.
While Rashid's reputation as a talented cricketer precedes him, Noor Ahmad's debut season has also been impressive, with the 18-year-old already bagging 10 wickets. Gujarat Titans assistant coach, Aashish Kapoor, spoke about Ahmad's potential, stating that he had known the young spinner since his early days in age group cricket.
Kapoor revealed that he had tried to convince several teams to pick up Ahmad in the Indian Premier League's 2022 edition.
"I had given his (Noor Ahmad) name to lots of teams at that point in time. I told Zaheer Khan, VVS Laxman to pick this guy, he was only 17 at that point. But they did not want to," revealed Kapoor in the post-match press conference.
The coach expressed his admiration for Ahmad, describing him as a left-handed Rashid Khan, a deadly combination that would be advantageous for any team. He also disclosed how he convinced head coach Ashish Nehra to pick the youngster.
"I told [Ashish] Nehra you pick whoever you want, but let me pick one guy, that's Noor. Not many people knew about him. For me he was a left-handed Rashid Khan. If you want Rashid Khan at whatever amount and you're getting another one who is a left-hander... both can be a deadly combination," added the former Indian cricketer.
The domestic stalwart further stated that coaching Ahmad was not an easy journey, and there was a lot of work involved in correcting his mindset, as he initially wanted to bowl like Rashid. The seasoned coach revealed that Rashid himself had to counsel Ahmad, explaining to him that they had different actions and that he had to develop his own unique style.
"Rashid kept telling him no you can't bowl like me, you have to bowl like yourself. Your action is different, my action is different. When he realised that, he started bowling better," concluded the 52-year-old.
Kapoor also stated that in the past, the team's limited options necessitated using Rashid for two overs up front, one in the middle, and one at the death. However, with the teenager's emergence, the team now has the advantage of using Rashid for all four overs upfront if he is bowling well, as they also have another difficult-to-pick spinner in Ahmad.
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