Lalchand aiming to earn Afghanistan test status

MUMBAI (SW): Afghanistan’s national cricket coach Lalchan Rajput, the former Indian opener has expressed resolve to earn Afghanistan test status.

In an exclusive interview with the Times of India, Rajput acknowledged that the Afghan players are rich in talent, and only need some exposure to earn their country test status in cricket.

Under Rajput, India clinched their maiden WorldTwenty20 title in 2007, and then the Tri-series crown in Australia next year.

In his coaching, after beating Scotland 1-0 in an ODI series in Edinburgh, Afghanistan travelled to Belfast, where they drew an ODI series 2-2 with Ireland. They then rounded off the tour with a thumping innings-and-36 run win over The Netherlands at Voorburg, the TOI noted.

"The players are respectful to the coach, keen to learn, and desperate to do well. They believe in fighting till the last ball, which can perhaps be attributed to their tough (war-torn) background," Rajput complimented. "I've tried to infuse self-belief in them by telling them that if you can beat the Twenty20 world champ (West Indies, during the WorldT20 in India earlier this year), you can beat anyone," he added.

Presently, Afghanistan's journey to Test cricket is a long and arduous one, but full of hope. In March next year, they play Ireland in what is practically the final of the ICC Intercontinental Cup, in Noida, their 'adopted' home.

The winner of this game will play the 10th-ranked Test nation (currently Zimbabwe) in a four-Test 'ICC Test Challenge' in 2018. If the Intercontinental Cup winner clinches the ICC Test Challenge, then it will become the 11th Test nation until 2022.

ENDS