Former India opener Wasim Jaffer feels that Tamil Nadu batter Shahrukh Khan has the flexibility to signify India, if he can maintain enhancing over the subsequent couple of years and play some impactful knocks within the Indian Premier League.
With Tamil Nadu needing 5 runs to win, Shahrukh Khan hit a last-ball six in opposition to Karnataka within the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy ultimate on Monday. Handed the finisher’s position by his crew administration, Shahrukh got here in at No. 6 with a galloping asking-rate and gained the sport with 33 off simply 15 deliveries.
Shahrukh Khan you beauteeee💛💛💛💛An ideal final ball thriller end to retain the #SyedMushtaqAliTrophy . Just one thing with these #yellove jerseys. 1st @ChennaiIPL then, @cricketcomau now, @TNCACricket 💛💛💛 pic.twitter.com/S9vpJ5Uevn
— Shankar Krishna (@shankykohli18) November 22, 2021
Following his large hitting within the earlier version of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Shahrukh had been purchased by Punjab Kings for INR 5.25 crore on the IPL public sale in February. And Jaffer, the Punjab Kings batting coach, was impressed with the 26-year previous’s ability in addition to angle.
“Indian talents who play well down the order (in T20) are very rare. Most of the talent you find is concentrated in the top order,” Wasim Jaffer advised The Indian Express.
“You need power, six-hitting ability. To hit sixes consistently against 140kph pace, right after going in around the 14th or 15th overs, and still keep your reputation intact is hard. I think that is the toughest job in T20. Your strength and execution have to be at a premium level. So that way, he is a special talent.”
The issues went proper right down to the wire however Tamil Nadu held their nerve to clinch the #SyedMushtaqAliT20 title. 🏆 👏 #TNvKAR
Watch the highlights of that thriller of a #Final 🎥 🔽https://t.co/nn5bqGmN0p pic.twitter.com/uXPlHe3ecu
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) November 22, 2021
What stood out for Jaffer throughout Shahrukh’s maiden IPL stint was his keenness to study and above all, his capability to stay grounded.
“We interacted so much through the IPL. Temperamentally he’s very sturdy. He has a really sound head on his shoulders. He thinks the fitting issues and doesn’t get carried away. He follows a steady way of life too.
“He listens to recommendation, has an excellent method in the direction of studying. He will maintain asking questions, he needs to enhance. He spends further time within the nets. He grasped the issues that (coaches) Anil (Kumble) and Andy (Flower) advised him. That is the fitting angle to have.
“I don’t think he lets the occasion get to him, that he is playing the IPL or facing some big bowler. That is his strength. He is one for the future. In the next one or two years, he will be very close to playing for India.”
When he got here into the Punjab Kings dressing room, Shahrukh was understandably a bit nervous to start with, however he settled down quickly. “He had are available in with a giant price ticket. So that strain is all the time there. My message to him was to proceed to arrange the best way he had been doing for Tamil Nadu, there was no want to vary simply because he was taking part in IPL. There was no have to take strain that one needed to show folks improper or needed to dwell as much as expectations.
“This is not to say that he will start winning games for the franchise as soon as he comes in, but he will learn as he goes along.”
Shahrukh received a good run at Punjab Kings, with the franchise giving him 11 matches in IPL 2021. He averaged 21.85 at a strike-rate of 134.21, hitting extra sixes than fours. He received his facet residence in a decent chase in opposition to Kolkata Knight Riders with an unbeaten 22 off 9. Against Chennai Super Kings, he displayed one other facet to his recreation, when he dragged Punjab Kings to 106/8 from 26/5 with 47 off 36.
He’s performed solely 5 first-class matches up to now in comparison with 50 T20s, however Wasim Jaffer believes Shahrukh can do nicely in multi-day cricket too if he works on his approach, regardless of many seeing him as a T20 specialist.
“He can enhance technically. Even in T20, there may be approach. Not like Test cricket, after all, however when you have a look at the large hitters, they’re technically high-quality. I really feel he can play all three codecs. He has the potential.
“People are fast to tag somebody, that he can play solely T20 or solely Ranji. I advised him that till you attain the age of say, 33-34, and your health holds, it is best to look to adapt your self to play all three codecs.
“He is very young still, so he should aim to score runs in Ranji too. I don’t think it is that hard, if you put your mind to it. It is not that your game becomes completely different, you just become more selective. That is why if your basic technique is good, you will be able to adapt without too much difficulty. We have worked with him on that, and if he is able to improve his technique a bit, his conversion rate will improve even in the IPL.”
Jaffer says it’s a matter of some eye-catching innings within the IPL for Shahrukh to seize the India selectors’ consideration. “Definitely. Why not? If he can play some good knocks in the IPL… it is our standard now, whoever does well in the IPL comes into the reckoning straight away. He’ll be more mature and wiser this time. And he will go at a good price in the auction, there is no doubt about that.”
