3 reasons why Shahbaz Ahmed deserves a big run with the Indian team
Shahbaz Ahmed shone in Bengal's quarterfinal against Haryana in the 2023 Vijay Hazare Trophy on December 11 at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot. The left-hander was the star with the bat with a resilient century that orchestrated Bengal’s fightback.
This marked his third hundred in List A cricket. The left-handed batter achieved this milestone when Bengal found themselves struggling at 93 for five in 25.1 overs, having been put in to bat first. He was eventually bowled in the last over of Bengal's innings by Rahul Tewatia.
A proper all-rounder, Shahbaz has played five international matches for India and has been a consistent performer in domestic cricket.
Here we take a look at 3 reasons why Shahbaz Ahmed deserves a big run with the Indian team:
#3 An excellent successor to Ravindra Jadeja
There is little doubt that Ravindra Jadeja is one of the best all-rounders to have played the game. However, the Indian management would now want to focus on his workload, and hence, Shahbaz could come into the fray.
While he might not be as effective with the ball as Jadeja, he has shown in domestic cricket to be an able batter who can get through his overs in a jiffy without conceding too many runs.
Axar Patel has not managed to seal the spot of the all-rounder in India’s white-ball set-up and considering Shahbaz’s efforts, he can be used for the long haul.
#2 Experience under his belt
Shahbaz Ahmed has been toiling away in domestic cricket for a while now and has earned his stripes. He is no rookie and understands his role perfectly. He has the experience of featuring in 28 first-class matches, 49 List A games and 81 T20s and his runs and wickets have certainly made him one of the best all-rounders in domestic cricket currently.
He can be a good addition to the Indian side since the management is forever on the lookout for a batter who can bat in the top fivr and also chip in with the ball. He has shown the technique and temperament to be the real deal in domestic cricket and can be a viable option for Team India as they try to rebuild a core going forward.
#1 Excellent consistency
In the Deodhar Trophy, he competed closely with Shams Mulani for the title of the best spinner in the competition, ending with 12 wickets in five games, ranking joint-second for the most wickets in the tournament. His performance included an average of over nine overs per game with an impressive economy rate of just 4.14.
And now, he has come into his own with the bat as well. During his century against Haryana in the Vijay Hazare trophy, Shahbaz surpassed the 1,000-run mark in List A cricket. He has accumulated a total of 1,022 runs in 50 games, boasting an average and strike rate of over 37 and 92, respectively. He has three centuries and four fifties so far.