Ghazanfar. PC – Revsportz.
Subhayan Chakraborty, Mohali
 
As the dust settles on the recent Test match, the focus now shifts to the upcoming three-match ODI series between India and Afghanistan. For Afghan spin sensation Allah Ghazanfar, the series presents not just a challenge, but an opportunity to apply the invaluable lessons he learned during his recent stint with the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
 
Ahead of the highly anticipated white-ball clash, Ghazanfar opened up about his team’s rigorous preparations, his journey from playing tape-ball cricket on the streets of Afghanistan, and the prospect of bowling to his IPL teammate, Rohit Sharma.
 
Transitioning from the IPL directly into an international series in Indian conditions requires immense physical and mental acclimatisation. Ghazanfar noted that his time in the IPL served as the perfect precursor to the ODI series, particularly in dealing with the soaring temperatures.
 
“First of all, the IPL was very good for me. The thing is, it’s very hot here, so we adjusted a bit to the heat,” Ghazanfar told a select group of journalists in Mohali. 
 
The Afghanistan team has left no stone unturned in their preparations, running parallel training camps to ensure the entire squad is match-ready. “Before this, we had a camp in Kabul, I think for 30 days,” he said. “We were in the IPL, and the rest of our team was in Kabul. Their preparation was also very good. We have already adjusted to the pitches and the weather here. And we’ll see how it goes from practice, but the players are very energetic. God willing, the result will be good.”
 
Ghazanfar recently concluded his first full IPL season, where he delivered standout performances for the Mumbai Indians. Sharing a dressing room with modern-day greats like Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah provided the young spinner with a master-class in elite cricket.
 
Reflecting on the environment in the Mumbai Indians camp, Ghazanfar expressed immense gratitude for the exposure: “Yes, in the IPL you get the absolute best of both worlds, very good players and excellent coaching. Playing matches with them and sharing the dressing room, I got to learn a lot from all of this, and I will continue to learn. I will try to learn even more in the future because cricket is a game of constant learning.” 
 
One of the most mouth-watering narratives heading into this ODI series is the impending face-off between Ghazanfar and former India captain Rohit Sharma. Having bowled extensively to Rohit in the Mumbai Indians nets, Ghazanfar is well aware of the monumental task ahead, but he is ready to turn his IPL education into an international advantage.
 
“Rohit bhai is a legend and a very good player. My effort is… he opens the batting, and I bowl with the new ball. Whatever I have learned from him, I will use it to our advantage and see what happens.”
 
Interestingly, Rohit’s mentorship extended beyond just playing against spin. Ghazanfar revealed a lighter moment of camaraderie, noting that the great player even offered him batting advice. “Yes, in batting… when I batted once, he gave me some tips at that time. So, thank you very much to him.”
 
Afghanistan have become a global factory for elite spinners, and Ghazanfar believes the pipeline of talent is only getting stronger.
 
“Especially in Afghanistan, we have a lot more talented players now. And yes, it is very hard to reach international cricket, leagues, and franchise cricket directly from domestic cricket. It’s very difficult. But belief and skills are things, preparation is a thing that can make everything easy. We simply worked on our skills with the coaching staff, and the results turned out well.”
 
When asked about his cricketing idols, Ghazanfar’s answer highlighted the profound impact of the pioneering Afghan cricketers who paved the way for the current generation. “My role model is our Afghanistan team itself. We all used to watch our national team at that time, so our team was our role model.”
 
His personal journey mirrors the rapid ascent of Afghan cricket as a whole, starting in the streets and graduating to the global stage in a remarkably short time frame. “I first started with a tennis ball, and slowly we transitioned to playing with a hard ball starting in 2019.”