Afghanistan head coach Raees Ahmedzai feels the national side is settling into Richard Pybus\u2019s fresh coaching approach as the squad gears up for an upcoming tour of India. Raees, who has previously worked extensively with Afghanistan\u2019s Under-19 players, was part of the group that ran a training camp in Kabul ahead of the trip. The camp was overseen by Pybus, who has taken over as Afghanistan\u2019s head coach after the departure of long-serving Jonathon Trott.<\/p>\n
Raees described the preparation as productive, saying the team spent a strong stretch in Kabul and then played three three-day matches in Jalalabad. He also pointed to the players\u2019 comfort with Pybus\u2019s new plans. \u201cWe had a very good camp in Kabul, and we played three three-day matches in Jalalabad. The players are enjoying the time with the new coach Pybus, who has arrived with new ideas and a clear strategy,\u201d Raees said.<\/p>\n
He added that Afghanistan\u2019s players understand their responsibilities within a professional setup, and suggested Pybus\u2019s opening assignment\u2014leading the team in a Test match followed by three ODIs versus a formidable Indian side\u2014will serve as a significant challenge. \u201cAs a professional, everyone knows their role\u2014how to play and how to move forward. I think it will be a good challenge for Pybus to start: a Test match and three ODIs as head coach of Afghanistan against a strong Indian team,\u201d Raees said.<\/p>\n
Raees believes replacing Rashid Khan for Afghanistan\u2019s one-off Test against India will be a tough task, but he is confident that the spin group led by Qais Ahmad, Sharafuddin Ashraf and Nangeyalia Kharote has the ability to step up. Rashid was left out of the Test squad due to an injury that limits his ability to bowl long spells, though he remains part of Afghanistan\u2019s shorter-format series.<\/p>\n
Speaking on the impact of missing Rashid, Raees said the void will be significant because of the leg-spinner\u2019s reputation and influence in Test cricket. \u201cThe absence will be hard to fill because Rashid is a well-known cricketer around the world. He has been very successful in the Test matches he played and he played a big role in all the wins for Afghanistan in Test cricket,\u201d Raees said.<\/p>\n
He also highlighted how the situation creates an opportunity for younger players to demonstrate their skills and handle the pressure of international opposition. \u201cSo, the team will miss him. It is a good opportunity for the youngsters to show their talent and how they will represent the country against strong teams,\u201d Raees added.<\/p>\n
Raees further expressed faith in Afghanistan\u2019s wider pool of spin options, stressing that while they will try to cover for Rashid, it will not be straightforward. \u201cAfghanistan have lots of good spinners. They are very talented, and I\u2019m sure they will cover the part of Rashid. They will try, but this will not be easy for them. It\u2019s a good challenge for them as well as it\u2019s a good opportunity. There will be pressure on these guys,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Afghanistan head coach Raees Ahmedzai feels the national side is settling into Richard Pybus\u2019s fresh coaching approach as the squad gears up for an upcoming…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":12856,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"Afghanistan vs India Tour: Pybus New Coaching in IPL","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Afghanistan gear up for India tour with Richard Pybus\u2019s new coaching style, as Raees Ahmedzai highlights spinners\u2019 focus and fresh camp intensity.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12858","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n