Afghanistan skipper carries a nation’s red-ball hopes

When Afghanistan take on India in a one-off Test beginning Saturday, Hashmatullah Shahidi will be more than just the captain of the visiting cricket team. The 31-year-old would also be the batting fulcrum around whom Afghanistan’s Test ambitions revolve.

In the absence of veterans Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi, the soft-spoken left-hander will shoulder the responsibility of proving that Afghanistan’s red-ball aspirations are no longer dependent on a handful of superstar names.

It is a role that would have made his father proud. Shahidi’s father, a physics teacher and author of multiple textbooks, values education above everything else.

Like many Afghan families affected by years of conflict and political turmoil, the Shahidis spent time in Pakistan before returning home, and cricket was hardly the most secure career path for a young boy growing up amid uncertainty. Yet the son of a teacher worked his way up to emerge as one of Afghanistan’s most important cricketing minds.

If Rashid is the team’s global superstar, Shahidi is the man entrusted with giving it direction. The significance of the Test against India here therefore extends beyond the result.

Afghanistan played their maiden Test against India in Bengaluru in 2018 when they lost 20 wickets in just two sessions. It was in this very game that Shahidi made his debut.

Eight years later, they arrive as a team seeking validation in the longest format, and their captain stands at the centre of that quest.

Unlike many modern batters whose reputations are built on audacious strokeplay, Shahidi’s strengths are rooted in patience and discipline.

He is an old-fashioned accumulator in an era that increasingly celebrates instant impact.

For Afghanistan, that quality is invaluable.

Test cricket remains unfamiliar territory for a nation that has played only a limited number of matches since gaining entry into the format. Shahidi himself is only 11 Tests old.

The side has often relied on moments of individual brilliance, whether from Rashid’s wrist spin or the aggressive batting of younger stars.

Shahidi offers something different and that’s stability.

His numbers underline his importance. He became the first Afghan batter to score a Test double hundred when he made an unbeaten 200 against Zimbabwe in Abu Dhabi in 2021.

He later bettered that effort with a monumental 246, the highest individual Test score by an Afghan batter.

Those innings showcased a temperament that is rare in Afghanistan’s cricket ecosystem.

While the country has produced a steady stream of naturally gifted stroke-makers and attacking bowlers, Shahidi’s greatest asset is his willingness to embrace the grind that Test cricket demands.

That quality has also shaped his leadership.

Captaining Afghanistan is unlike leading many other international teams.

The squad features players who have become global T20 stars and command significant respect across franchise leagues.

Managing those personalities while building a coherent red-ball culture requires a different skill set.

Shahidi has largely achieved that through calm authority. His leadership style is not overtly aggressive as is often seen in modern captains.

Team-mates frequently describe him as approachable and measured, qualities that have become increasingly important as Afghanistan navigate a period of transition.

The absence of Rashid and Nabi only amplifies his significance.

For much of the last decade, the two veterans (Rashid in terms of experience) have been the pillars around which Afghan cricket was built.

Rashid’s global stature and Nabi’s experience often eased the burden on whoever held the captaincy.

Against India, Shahidi will not have that luxury.

For Afghanistan, competing over five days will require discipline, patience and resilience.

It demands players willing to bat long hours, absorb pressure and think beyond the next session. That is where Shahidi assumes added importance.

As Afghanistan continue their search for a permanent place in the Test hierarchy, their captain represents the values of the format.

Whether Afghanistan can challenge India over five days remains to be seen. But as they embark on another significant chapter in their red-ball journey, Shahidi’s role extends beyond runs and tactical decisions.

The son of a physics teacher now finds himself carrying the weight of a cricketing nation’s longest-format dreams.