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Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi on Sunday said his team had the potential to challenge the world’s best teams but needed more exposure in Test cricket.
Shahidi’s team hosts New Zealand in a one-off Test that begins on Monday at his adopted home ground in India near New Delhi, without key players including spin king Rashid Khan.
Afghanistan had a difficult introduction to Test cricket in 2018 when they lost to India inside two days but have improved since.
Afghanistan crushed New Zealand in this year’s T20 World Cup but they have won just three of the nine Tests they have played.
“If you look at Test cricket, we are new to this format – we need more experience,” Shahidi told reporters at the Greater Noida ground.
“As a team and as a country, we are courageous people and we accept challenges,” he added.
“In the future, if we have more chances, we will improve and show that we are the best team.”
Afghanistan will be without leg-spinner Rashid, who has taken a break to recover from a persistent back injury.
Shahidi said it would be “difficult” without him but he had faith in the young talent in his inexperienced squad, including 23-year-old spinner Shams Ur Rahman.
The captain said it was also an opportunity for new names to stand out.
“We have more talented players, it’s an opportunity for them to make a name for themselves in the cricket world,” he said.
“Everyone is ready to give their best,” he said.
“We have talented players and we can succeed in all areas – some of our players have hundreds in this format,” he added.
“It’s tough, but if we play to our strengths we can beat any team.”
– “On the way to a fight” –
New Zealand, led by Tim Southee, begin their tour of South Asia against Afghanistan, before two Test matches in Sri Lanka and three more in India.
The Afghanistan Test is not part of the World Test Championship, but the other five will be.
The team’s training sessions on unfamiliar grounds in the subcontinent were interrupted by rain.
“The conditions are alien to what we are used to but we are excited about the possibility of playing six Test matches in a row here in the subcontinent,” Southee said.
“It’s exciting to play cricket in India.”
Southee said he remained wary of Afghanistan.
“Afghanistan is a team that has been improving for several years,” he said.
“Every time you come face to face with them, you know you’re going to fight.”
He added that spin bowling would play a key role in the six Tests.
“When you come to this part of the world you expect spin to play a big part, and we have a number of different options and quality spinners to turn to,” he said.
New Zealand left-handed spinner Ajaz Patel became only the third bowler in Test history to take all 10 wickets in an innings against India at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai in 2021.
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