Ajit Agarkar set for bold move to fast-track Musheer Khan, confirmed to travel to Australia after just 7 matches

Musheer Khan, brother of India Test cricketer Sarfaraz, is set to be fast-tracked into the India A squad for the Australia tour later this year on the back of his mammoth century in the Duleep Trophy 2024 opener.

Musheer has reportedly caught the eye of chief selector Ajit Agarkar with his temperament under pressure in the India A vs India B Duleep Trophy match in Bengaluru.

Coming in to bat at No.3 on his Duleep Trophy debut, the right-hander did not lose his focus even as wickets tumbled at the other end and hit 181 – his third first-class century. His marathon knock rescued India B from a precarious 94/7 and enabled them to post 321, which proved to be a decisive factor as they won the match by 76 runs.

News agency PTI reported that 19-year-old Musheer Khan, who has had a dream first-class season, is all set to travel to Australia for the India A shadow tour, which will have three ‘four-day’ Tests. Having scored a double hundred in the Ranji quarter-final and a century in the final, Musheer has come on the selection committee’s radar.

The India A team for the Australia tour will be picked based on the Duleep Trophy performances and the Irani Cup match between the Rest of India and Ranji champions Mumbai, which will be held before a tour of Australia.

Barring any fitness concerns, Musheer and Rajasthan’s left-arm spinner Manav Suthar are strong contenders for selection. Suthar has surpassed Saurabh Kumar as the next best left-arm spinner after Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel. Musheer’s impressive performances, including his ability to score big runs on significant occasions like the Ranji Trophy final and against top-notch pace attacks, make him a likely pick for India A’s tour of Australia. His temperament and endurance, demonstrated by his 373-ball innings (62.1 overs out of 116) and partnership with tailender Navdeep Saini, have further solidified his case for selection.

Musheer’s impressive first-class record and handy left-arm spin

Musheer has already notched up three centuries and a half-century in his seven-match-old first-class career. Two of his daddy hundreds came when his team was under immense pressure and the stakes were high. His issues against the moving ball may be an issue but he is only 19 and will improve.

The fact that Musheer is a handy left-arm spinner at a time when hardly any of India’s top-order batters bowl regularly is sure to work in his favour.

“What makes Musheer different is his mindset, which is very strong. I can’t predict the future but if he keeps on scoring runs consistently, he could be a very good option for the Indian team,” former India wicketkeeper-batter Vijay Dahiya told PTI videos.

Dahiya was in awe of Musheer’s consistency. “The standout thing about his batting is his consistency. He started off from where he left the last season. He scored runs in the Ranji Trophy semifinal and final and then a hundred on the opening day of domestic cricket in 2024.”