Less than four days remain before Afghanistan make their historic Test bow against India in Bengaluru.
All the talk ahead of the highly-anticipated one-off Test has revolved around Afghanistan’s spin-contingent with skipper Asghar Stanikzai going as far as saying that his spinners are better than their Indian counterparts.
However, spin is not the only weapon at the disposal of the Afghans. While the limelight remains on the bowlers such as Rashid Khan and Mujeeb ur Rahman, we take a look at the Afghanistan batsmen to watch out for.
ASGHAR STANIKZAI
The 30-year old Afghan skipper is one of the most experienced players in the squad with 86 ODIs, 54 T20Is and 23 first-class matches under his belt.
A proven performer with the bat for Afghanistan, Stanikzai’s average in limited-overs cricket is 22 but there is no denying his importance in Afghanistan’s line-up.
Stanikzai has slammed five tons and three half-centuries in his 23-match first-class career and he has the ability to the play the long innings in the five-day format.
The Afghan skipper is one of the most experienced batsmen in the team.
MOHAMMAD SHAHZAD
Afghanistan’s version of MS Dhoni, Mohammad Shahzad has been the heartbeat of the side during their remarkable rise in world cricket.
The 30-year-old wicket-keeper/batsman has five centuries to his name in limited-overs international cricket (four in ODIs and one in T20Is) and packs a punch with the bat.
While his reputation as a limited-overs batsman is fearsome, Shahzad is no mug when it comes to first-class cricket. The Afghan averages over 55 in 20 first-class matches and has registered four tons in the format including a highest score of 214 not out.
Shahzad had led Afghanistan’ batting for years.
MOHAMMAD NABI
The 33-year-old is the most experienced man in the Afghanistan squad when it comes to international cricket with 98 ODIs, 63 T20Is and 32 first-class matches under his belt.
While his off-spin will definitely be handy in the Test, Nabi has it in him to make a valuable contribution with the bat too.
He will be tasked with propelling Afghanistan’s middle-order in the Test and has shown that he has the aptitude for red-ball cricket with two centuries in the first-class format.
Nabi is equally adept with both bat and ball.
IHSANULLAH JANAT
Ihsanullah might be one of the youngest faces in the batting line-up but in his short career so far, he has shown enough potential.
The 20-year-old has played only 10 ODIs so far for Afghanistan but it is his performances in the longer format that have caught the eye.
Averaging over 50 runs in first-class cricket, Ihsanullah has registered one century and three half-centuries in nine innings so far in the format.
Last year, he starred in a 197-run stand for the second wicket with Rahmat Shah to lead Afghanistan to a victory over UAE in the final of the Intercontinental Cup at Abu Dhabi.
Janat (centre) has shown plenty of potential.