Musheer Khan, a young and talented batsman, played a crucial role in rescuing India B from a precarious situation on the first day of the Duleep Trophy match against India A. After India A bowlers had reduced India B to 94 for seven, Khan’s unbeaten century, a robust 105 runs, helped them finish the day at 202 for seven.
Khan attributed his success to a carefully crafted batting strategy, focusing on playing close to his body to counter the pronounced swing of the ball in overcast conditions. “I wanted to play as many balls as possible without thinking too much about runs. I wanted to bat the whole day, and I was taking it session by session. The ball was swinging and cutting when I came to bat,” Khan explained. “So, I was trying to play the ball as close to my body as possible, and was looking to avoid those risky shots. I knew runs would eventually come.”
He wasn’t alone in his rescue mission. Late-order batsman Navdeep Saini joined forces with Khan, adding a crucial 108 runs for the eighth wicket. “When wickets were falling at the other end, I told myself to play intelligently and look for a partnership. Then Saini bhai gave me a lot of confidence, saying he will play whether it is two balls or six balls in an over, and just keep faith in him.” Khan described their partnership. “He was also able to match my thinking and approach while batting. But generally, I was trying to defend the first three or four balls and then take a single.”
One notable aspect of Khan’s innings was his success against left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav. Five of his 10 boundaries came off Kuldeep, including two successive shots down the V. This success was a result of careful preparation and valuable advice from senior players. “This is the second time I am playing Kuldeep bhai. We have some experienced players in our side like Shubman bhai and Rishabh bhai, who told me which of Kuldeep bhai’s balls will be effective and off which ones I can score runs. But once I got set, batting became easy on this wicket,” Khan revealed.
The 19-year-old Mumbai batsman considers the Duleep Trophy as a valuable learning experience. “This is a good learning experience for me as there are a lot of senior players in my team and in the opposition. I am observing the way they think, their confidence and how they prepare for a practice session and a match,” he shared.
Khan’s impressive performance underscores his potential and the bright future that lies ahead for the young batsman. His ability to adapt his strategy to the conditions and build crucial partnerships will undoubtedly be key in his journey toward greater success in the world of cricket.
