"A player doesn't become good or bad on the basis of one game" - Khaleel Ahmed recalls Rahul Dravid's advice
Left-arm fast bowler Khaleel Ahmed recently recalled how head coach Rahul Dravid motivated him when he was down in confidence during the U19 World Cup in 2016.
Khaleel mentioned that it was Dravid's first year as India's U19 coach. The left-arm pacer stated that he feared that he might be dropped from the playing XI after failing to pick up a single wicket in the first fixture.
The 25-year-old spoke about how Rahul Dravid pumped him up during that time, making him understand that a player's caliber cannot be judged from one match. Speaking to Aakash Chopra on Jio Cinema, Khaleel Ahmed said:
"It was Rahul Dravid's first year as a coach as well. We played a few series before the World Cup. We had that realization that we were representing India. Rahul Dravid played a major role during that time."
"I was wicketless in the first game of the World Cup, and I was very upset, thinking that I might get dropped. He told me that a player doesn't become good or bad on the basis of one game or series. Those words motivated me a lot, and I got newfound confidence," he added.
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Khaleel Ahmed impressed many with his bowling exploits in the tournament. While he picked up just three wickets in six games, he had an outstanding economy rate of 3.82 to his name.
"Everyone was talking about Rishabh Pant and Prithvi Shaw" - Khaleel Ahmed on people hyping players from Mumbai and Delhi
Khaleel Ahmed further stated that when he was young, he felt that a lot of people hyped cricketers who played for Mumbai and Delhi, pointing out how Rishabh Pant and Prithvi Shaw were constantly in the limelight.
He admitted that while it did affect his confidence, he was determined to get those batters out when he played against them.
"When I started playing cricket, I observed that there was a lot of hype around players from Mumbai and Delhi. Everyone was talking about Rishabh Pant and Prithvi Shaw," Khaleel added.
"I lost confidence at times because of that. However, I always thought that I was the best. I used to think that if so many people are talking about these guys, then I would be the one to take their wickets," he added.
Khaleel Ahmed will next be seen in action in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The talented youngster will represent the Delhi Capitals (DC).