Rashid will make for a great Afghanistan captain: Ingram

Sharjah - Khan looks a strong candidate going by his captaincy in the APL according to the South African batsman

Former South African batsman Colin Ingram believes that the young Rashid Khan will make for an absolutely fantastic leader for the Afghanistan National team when the time comes.
Rashid Khan, the 20-year-old leg spinner, has been growing from strength to strength over the past few years and his captaincy of Kabul Zwanan in the inaugural Afghanistan Premier League (APL) at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium has been one of the stand-outs.
And the 33-year-old Ingram, his teammate at Zwanan said that Rashid Khan will make for a great captain someday in the near future.
"Afghanistan are blessed with a couple of really good leaders that we have seen in this tournament. Rash (Rashid Khan) being a young guy and someone that I've played with, I've really enjoyed his company," said Ingram.
"You could see how well our players have responded to him and his leadership ability. So, I have no doubt in my mind that if Rashid Khan is in a leadership position in any team he plays in, they will be in good stead. So, that is great for Afghanistan cricket going forward," he added.
Afghanistan are currently led by the 30-year-old Asghar Afghan but there will come a time when he would pass on the leadership role. And Rashid Khan looks a strong candidate for that role, going by his captaincy in the APL.
Meanwhile, Ingram also said that it has been a wonderful experience for him in the APL and he has been very impressed by the spirit and the passion shown by Afghan cricketers.
"My experience has been good and it is nice to see how Afghan cricket has developed so quickly. I've been a big fan of how the guys have played their cricket internationally and even as recently as seeing how they did in the Asia Cup. So, it was fantastic to come and join them and be exposed to young talent. One of the things I've been most surprised about is how all the players hit spin. Even the guys coming in at 8, 9, 10, 11 can play spin really well," he said.
"I've enjoyed watching the Afghanistan National team and the spirit with which they play the game. They are very passionate and even if you see on the field, they shy at the stumps often, they stay sharp in the game, which is massive for cricket going forward in Afghanistan. I'm not saying that other countries and other teams don't have it but it has definitely been a stand-out point for me, the spirit and the pride, coming from a smaller nation, cricket-wise," added Ingram.
james@khaleejtimes.com