Afghanistan is set to face New Zealand in their first-ever Test match at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex in Greater Noida, starting on September 9. This historic clash will mark the first time these two teams meet in the longest format of the game. Afghanistan, who have played several matches on Indian soil, are hopeful their past experience in similar conditions will give them an upper hand against the reigning World Test Championship (WTC) winners.
Afghanistan’s Familiarity with Indian Conditions:
Veteran batter Rahmat Shah expressed confidence that Afghanistan’s familiarity with Indian pitches and weather conditions will be a key advantage.
Shah pointed out that Afghanistan has previously used Noida and Lucknow as their home bases and has played several matches in India, including Test matches against Ireland, India, and the West Indies.
He emphasised that the team’s experience in adapting to the conditions will help them perform better against New Zealand.
“Our past experience in India will help us,” said Shah in a conversation with Cricbuzz.
“We had our home ground in Noida and Lucknow, and we have played many matches and held several camps here. We are accustomed to the weather and pitch conditions of India, so we certainly have an edge.”
Rahmat Shah’s Technical Adjustments:
As Afghanistan gears up to face the inaugural WTC winners, Shah revealed that he has been making technical adjustments to his game in preparation for the Test.
These changes include working on his shoulder alignment, staying more balanced at the crease, and adjusting his batting approach to better suit the conditions.
Shah, who is Afghanistan’s leading run-scorer in Tests and ODIs, shared his excitement about facing a team as strong as New Zealand.
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“We will try to give them a tough time. They have won the ICC Test Championship, and we have prepared well for the challenge ahead,” he added.
New Zealand, having won the WTC final by defeating India in 2021, will be looking to maintain their dominance, but Afghanistan’s hunger to prove themselves in red-ball cricket could make this a thrilling contest.
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