'Was a huge honour for me' - Rashid Khan recalls training session with Shane Warne

Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan shared his fond memory with the legendary spinner Shane Warne who recently passed away. The cricket fraternity is still mourning his loss, and it has been a big blow for every cricket player and fan worldwide. Rashid mentioned that he was called to the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) by Warne during Australia versus New Zealand Boxing Day Test in 2019.

Rashid, who will be joining the Gujarat Titans franchise in their debut IPL season under Hardik Pandya’s captaincy, was picked up by the team before the mega auction. He recalled his one-on-one session with the spinner that lasted for just 15 mins but left a deep impact on him. Even earlier, Rashid has mentioned many times how he has idolised Warne, and the respect he holds for the Australian.

“I had a great time with him. It was a huge honour for me that he called me to the MCG for a 15-minute session during the lunch break. I was so lucky to have that session. I learned so many things. We had a discussion about how I could be more effective in Tests. He discussed all those key points about how your mindset, skills, and how your preparation should be,” Rashid told TOI.

Was really looking forward to spend some more time with him: Rashid Khan

“The only thing he said to me is you don’t need to change your speed and your action. That is something unique you have. You just need to be consistent and passionate. Sometimes you may get wickets, sometimes you may not. That is the time you will be tested mentally and physically, whether you are fit for it,” Rashid further added.

Having played only five Test matches, Rashid has 34 wickets in his bag which include four five-wicket hauls. He had a dream to play under Shane Warne, with him being the Head Coach for the team, which unfortunately won’t be fulfilled now.

“I was really looking forward to having him as the coach, head coach, and to play with him, spend some more time with him. That was a dream that we discussed at that time. He said hopefully we’ll be together in ‘The Hundred’ in the UK, and then we’ll have enough time to discuss Test cricket,” he concluded.