TV
Nineteen-year-old prodigy Musheer Khan with his gritty century in the ongoing Duleep Trophy has not only turned heads but also triggered conversations about the next big thing in Indian cricket.
Musheer made his first-class debut for Mumbai in December 2022. His performance in the Ranji Trophy 2023-24 first caught the cricketing world’s attention. He scored a double century against Baroda in the quarterfinals. It was followed by a crucial half-century in the semi-final against Tamil Nadu. Then he went on to score a match-winning hundred in the final against Vidarbha. These runs were scored under huge pressure situations which hinted at his ability to perform in crunch situations.
Playing for India B against India A in the ongoing Duleep Trophy, Musheer walked in when his team was reeling at 94 for 7. He went on to score a marathon knock of 181 with the help of 16 fours and five sixes. It was not only an individual brilliance. In this way, he also saved his team from a potential collapse. During his marathon knock, Musheer showcased his ability to adapt, defensive solidity and shot selection against a formidable bowling attack.
Musheer has a striking resemblance in batting stance and style with his elder brother Sarfaraz Khan. In addition, Musheer’s approach seems more suited for the modern game. He has a combination of classical technique with the ability to innovate and improvise.
During Musheer’s century in the Duleep Trophy, he played close to his body, minimizing risk while maximizing runs. The way he tackled star spinner Kuldeep Yadav was pretty impressive.
With national selector’s watching Musheer’s knock closely, it is expected that his selection in the Indian team is just round the corner. While the Indian cricket team is expected to go through a transition period in couple of years, extremely talented cricketers like Musheer are ready to take the mantle which is a very good news for the fans.
