Rashid Khan’s journey to becoming one of Afghanistan’s biggest cricket stars was not easy.
His family did not support cricket at first. He also had a different career dream. Growing up between Afghanistan and Peshawar gave him some difficult experiences. Later, a serious injury made him question his bowling.
Even after reaching the IPL, Rashid had to learn how to bowl against some of the best batters in the world.
Speaking to Aakash Chopra on Baith & Bol, Rashid spoke about these experiences and some lesser-known parts of his career.
Note: The podcast conversation is in Hindi. The Rashid Khan quotes used below are English translations of his Hindi remarks.
Rashid Khan’s parents did not support cricket at first
Rashid’s family did not immediately support his cricket dream.
His parents wanted him to focus on his studies. His father did not want him to play cricket. His mother was also upset when Rashid started showing more interest in the sport.
However, Rashid continued to play.
He kept following his passion even when his family did not agree with him. For some time, he played cricket without telling them everything.
His family eventually saw how serious he was about the sport. One important moment came when they watched Rashid play for Afghanistan Under-19 against Pakistan on television.
That helped them understand that cricket was becoming a serious part of his life.
Rashid’s journey at that stage was about staying committed even when his own family had doubts about his future in cricket.
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“I was neither from there nor here” – Rashid Khan
Rashid also spoke about his childhood and his time in Peshawar.
He spent a lot of time in Peshawar while growing up. Because of this, some people in Afghanistan called him a “Muhajir” or refugee.
However, Rashid also felt different while living in Peshawar.
This made his childhood complicated. At times, he did not feel that he fully belonged to either place.
Rashid explained this feeling during his conversation with Aakash Chopra.
“Sometimes I felt like I was neither from there nor here.”
This showed another side of Rashid’s childhood.
His early years were not only about cricket. He was also trying to understand his own sense of belonging while moving between two places.
Rashid Khan saw Afghanistan’s cricket culture change
Rashid also spoke about how much cricket changed in Afghanistan.
Football was more popular in the country for a long time. However, cricket started getting more attention as Afghanistan improved at the international level.
Rashid highlighted the period around the 2015 World Cup as an important time for Afghanistan cricket.
The national team started playing more international matches. More people began following the sport. Children also started showing more interest in cricket.
Rashid saw this change while growing up as a cricketer.
“When we started doing well, people started taking cricket more seriously.”
Rashid later became one of the biggest names in Afghan cricket.
His success also gave young Afghan players someone to look up to. It showed them that they could also dream of playing international cricket.
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Chris Gayle taught Rashid Khan an early IPL lesson
Rashid also remembered his first IPL season and the challenge of bowling to big hitters.
He made his IPL debut for Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2017. It was a huge moment for the young Afghan spinner.
However, he quickly learned that the IPL gave bowlers very little room for mistakes.
Chris Gayle was one of the batters Rashid spoke about.
Rashid also explained that West Indies batters can punish a bowler badly when he misses his length.
“If you miss your length against West Indies batters, they can hit you very hard.”
That experience taught Rashid an important lesson.
The IPL had some of the biggest names in cricket. But the basic battle was still between the bowler and the batter.
Rashid had to understand the batter and make sure he did not give him easy scoring opportunities.
Virat Kohli was another dangerous batter
Rashid also mentioned Virat Kohli when he spoke about dangerous batters.
For Rashid, bowling to a top batter was not only about the player’s reputation.
Elite batters can quickly punish a bad delivery. They can also understand what a bowler is trying to do.
Rashid therefore focused on studying the batter.
“You have to understand what the batter wants and what his strengths are.”
This became an important part of his bowling approach.
Instead of depending only on one delivery, Rashid tried to understand the batter and find ways to put him under pressure.
Rashid Khan’s biggest weapon was understanding batters
Rashid also explained how much attention he gives to the mental side of bowling.
He did not only practise his deliveries. He also tried to recreate match situations during training.
At times, he would ask batters around him what type of delivery they wanted to face. He would then try to find ways to put them under pressure.
“I would ask them, ‘What ball do you want?’ and then try to bowl in a way that creates pressure.”
This helped Rashid understand how batters think.
It was not only about his googly or his pace. He also wanted to know what a batter expected from him.
That understanding became important for his bowling style, which depends on deception, changes of pace, and reading the batter.
Rashid Khan on injury and his comeback
Rashid’s injury brought another difficult period in his career.
His recovery took roughly a year to a year and a half. He had to deal with physical pain, rehabilitation and the challenge of getting his bowling rhythm back.
During this time, some people started saying that batters had worked him out.
Rashid Khan did not see it that way.
“People thought they had figured Rashid Khan out, but that was not the real Rashid Khan.”
Rashid felt that he was still trying to get back to his best after the injury.
He knew that he needed to work on his body, recovery and fitness.
“I knew I had to find the solution and get myself back.”
Instead of focusing on what people were saying, Rashid focused on his recovery.
He wanted to bring back the version of himself that bowled with confidence before the injury.
Rashid also spoke about Afghanistan’s women’s cricket
Aakash Chopra also asked Rashid about women’s cricket in Afghanistan.
The discussion focused on the future of young girls who want to play cricket in the country.
Rashid explained that he cannot control every decision related to the sport.
The government, the Afghanistan Cricket Board and international organisations all have different roles to play.
Rashid’s wider point was that sport can help create a positive image for Afghanistan.
He also spoke about the importance of representing the country through sport.
Dhoni was Rashid’s pick as a finisher
The episode also had a quick-fire question about some of the best finishers in cricket.
Aakash asked Rashid to choose between MS Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Heinrich Klaasen and Shivam Dube for a finishing role.
Rashid picked MS Dhoni.
His quick choice added a lighter moment to the conversation.
The rest of the discussion focused on some of the most important parts of Rashid’s life and career.
He spoke about his parents not supporting cricket at first, his childhood between Afghanistan and Peshawar, and the changes he saw in Afghan cricket.
He also explained what he learned from facing dangerous batters such as Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli.
Rashid also opened up about his approach to reading batters and the difficult period when an injury made him question his bowling.
The conversation showed a side of Rashid that his career numbers cannot fully explain.
Behind the famous googly is a player who had to deal with doubts, difficult experiences, and major challenges before becoming an international star.
What do you think? What other untold chapters of Rashid Khan’s journey deserve a closer look from cricket fans? Let us know in the comments.
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