New Delhi, Sep 12 (IANS) Afghanistan captain Ibrahim Zadran said his team has devised specific tactical plans to counter returning fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah and hopes to handle him effectively in Sunday’s opening T20I game, to be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Bumrah is set to return to international action following a layoff due to a left knee injury sustained while fielding in the second ODI against England in Cardiff in July. His return adds the much-needed cutting edge to the Indian bowling attack, but Zadran insisted his side is keeping their approach simple rather than overcomplicating the challenge posed by the ace fast bowler.
“If you look at Jasprit Bumrah, he is one of the best, and he is my favourite fast bowler. We as a group never think things in a complicated way for ourselves. So we have a very good plan for him, and we just thought about him, how to play against him, and hopefully we are going to play better cricket against Jasprit Bumrah or the Indian Cricket Team,” Zadran told reporters in a press conference on Saturday.
He also highlighted the research done on India’s teenage batting prodigy, left-handed opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, by using IPL intelligence gathered from teammates who have faced him in IPL 2025 and 2026.
“He is an amazing talent. Recently, he played great cricket in the Indian Premier League (IPL), and he has been performing well at a different level in cricket events. We have thought about him, and we have gained that knowledge from those guys who have played against him in the IPL.
“We have already watched his videos, and we just try to keep it very simple for ourselves, just to execute the right plans at the right time against him. We are just trying to make things simple for us, not complicated,” he stated.
Addressing the overall squad preparation, which also involved preparing at the Yamuna Sports Complex, Zadran noted that maintaining physical fitness across continuous assignments has been a major strength for Afghanistan.
“If you look at the squad for the past couple of years, all are fit enough; we haven’t got any injuries or issues. So all are fit guys – you can see and have watched them all the time in the different leagues or at international level. So far there is no issue with the fitness side of things.”
Zadran, who takes over the T20I leadership from premier leg-spinner Rashid Khan, was confident that their good relationship would help the team start afresh in the shortest format after making an early exit from this year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
“I would say, I was destined to have a captain like Rashid Khan. Alongside him, we had better communication, better understanding between us. When he was a captain, I was helping him as a vice-captain, and the understanding is there.
“Yes, we have played enough cricket here in India; we all know the conditions, how to play, how to adjust ourselves, and we have played a series here against India, and the T20 World Cup, and the 50-over World Cup as well. We know the conditions really well, and how to play. We just need to execute the plan really well, according to the opposition, and that’s it.”
Targeting a historic first series victory against India, Zadran believes focusing on execution and process will yield positive results. “Yes, we have played better cricket against India. In 2024, we had two super overs against them in the T20I series in Bengaluru.
“At the ICC events, we have played better cricket against them. As you mentioned, we have never beaten them. Hopefully, we are going to play a good series, win a game, and win a series from them. But it’s all about execution of the plan and giving your 100 percent.
“It’s about trying to make things easy for ourselves, not complicated. Yes, we just try to give 100 percent. Don’t think about the result; just try to think about the process, and how we are going to deliver. I am sure we will have a better series.”
The soft-spoken and introverted Zadran further stated that coaching continuity under Richard Pybus has effectively carried forward the progress made under his predecessor Jonathan Trott. “We have got lots of achievements under Jonathan Trott. The understanding was there. I would say about Richard Pybus, he is amazing.
“He has been helping and sharing his own experiences with us. We have just thought about the areas where we struggled in the past and where we need to improve to make the standard high at international level. He is also a very good coach. We are so happy with him so far.
“At the moment, we are just trying to play better cricket. Just to make things easy for ourselves and how we can play better cricket against the opposition at the highest level. We thought about the areas we have to improve, what to do and what not to do.”
Hosting an away T20I series against India in India sounds a bit unfamiliar, but Zadran felt it represents a historic milestone for Afghan cricket. “I would say it’s a great sign for us to host India in India in their home country for the first time. It’s a great achievement for us and our cricket. I’m sure it will help a lot.
“I can’t say anything about the pitch or the wicket. Yes, we have looked at the pitches and the wicket. As I have mentioned earlier, we have played better cricket. In India, we have played at many different venues.
“We have the understanding and the idea of how to play here. Yes, we will just try to make things easy for ourselves and not think over a lot. We know the wickets, how it’s going to behave. We just need to execute our plans well and give 100 percent and show the energy.”
Zadran signed off by stating his leadership philosophy. “I would say this is a new responsibility for me as a player and as a captain; I’m trying to enjoy it – take the responsibility and make the right decision in a pressure situation.
“Like how to handle myself and how to handle my guys, especially during pressure situations. I would say challenges will be there. But how I’m going to improve myself, accept the challenges, and execute my plans according to the situation is going to be the key.”
–IANS
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