'One area of solidity and stability they need is from their batting department' - R Ashwin on Afghanistan's batting ahead of New Zealand Test

Ravichandran Ashwin urged the Afghanistan batters to put on a solid show against New Zealand in the historic first-ever Test match between the two sides, which begins on Monday, September 9, at the Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground.

The legendary India off-spinner hailed Afghanistan for producing several talented players but expressed his concerns over the lack of batting depth beyond the likes of Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmat Shah. However, Ashwin was excited to see how exciting youngsters like Riaz Hassan and Bahir Shah fare against the formidable New Zealand team. The Tamil Nadu cricketer compared the duo to the legendary Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif, who had impressed with their performances for India after rising through the Under-19 ranks.

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"This one-off Test will be fun to watch. We know Afghanistan produce insane talent but the one area of solidity and stability they need is from their batting department. They have Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmat Shah oozing class but not much else to follow, and that is why I am excited to see what RIAZ HASSAN and BAHIR SHAH have to offer. Both of them are promising and their first class averages are in excess of 55. The first signs of India's strong future came via @YUVSTRONG12 and @MohammadKaif in the 2000's as they came through the U-19s, that is why these 2 players could give us a sneak peek into what Afghanistan may go on to accomplish in the next decade or so," Ashwin tweeted on X.

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Apart from these players, a lot will depend on how captain Hashmatullah Shahidi performs in the one-off encounter. The southpaw has the patience to bat long and can be a tough nut to crack once he gets himself set at the crease. The 29-year-old also has the highest score of 200 not out off 443 balls, which came against Zimbabwe in Abu Dhabi in 2021.

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Rashid Khan has been ruled out of the encounter owing to a back injury. However, there is enough ammunition in the Afghanistan lineup to cause problems for the New Zealand batters. However, for them to make an impact, it will be important for Afghanistan to do well with the bat.