Afghanistan head coach Richard Pybus said on Friday that the outcome of the one-off Test match against India would largely depend on the batsmen. (Image X @Mariamistan)
New Delhi: Afghanistan head coach Richard Pybus said on Friday that the outcome of the one-off Test match against India, starting Saturday, would largely depend on how the batsmen from both teams handle the challenge of spin bowling. This will be the second time India and Afghanistan face each other in Test cricket; they previously played a Test in Bengaluru in 2018, which India won within two days.
Speaking to reporters on the eve of the Test, head coach Richard Pybus said, "How long the grass remains on the pitch and how the batsmen from both teams tackle the spinners will also determine the result of the Test match."
The Afghanistan squad is missing star spinner Rashid Khan, who has been rested as part of workload management. The leg-spinner played for the Gujarat Titans in the IPL, helping the team reach the final. Pybus noted that Rashid has been dealing with a long-standing back issue. He said, "Rashid Khan has had a back problem for a long time, but if there is any possibility of him playing Test cricket, I will speak to him."
Pybus took over the role from Jonathan Trott and had also spoken to the former England batsman about the Afghanistan team. He said, "I spoke to Jonathan Trott to understand his journey and congratulated him on the way he prepared the team."
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