Hashmatullah Shahidi wants more Test matches for Afghanistan and dedicated home venue in India

Hashmatullah Shahidi has expressed that he wants Afghanistan to play more Tests and also get a dedicated home venue in India to improve their gameplay. The Blue Tigers are all set to face New Zealand in what is going to be the first-ever Test match between the two sides. This highly-anticipated clash is set to take place at the Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground, starting on Monday, September 9.

Shahidi, who is going to lead Afghanistan in the historic clash, suggested that more Test matches and a dedicated home stadium in India will go a long way in helping his players hone their skills and giving tough competition to their opponents. Due to security concerns in Afghanistan, the team has been forced to play their home matches at various venues in India, including Greater Noida, Lucknow, and Dehradun, as well as in the UAE.

Also Read: ‘Honor to play here’ – Afghanistan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi on facing New Zealand in Greater Noida

“India is our home, and when we host teams, other nations have played more cricket here. Hopefully, we will get a good venue here in India, and if we restrict ourselves to one venue, it will be effective for us. Hopefully, the ACB [Afghanistan Cricket Board] and the BCCI [Board of Control for Cricket in India] will get us a good venue,” Shahidi was quoted as saying by India Today.

After achieving Test status in 2017, Afghanistan has only played nine Tests, most of them being one-off affairs. Shahidi rued the lack of red-ball opportunities, stating, “In six years, nine games is not enough. We are new in this format. We need more experience. If we get more chances on a regular basis, we will improve a lot.”

Also Read: ‘One area of solidity and stability they need is from their batting department’ – R Ashwin on Afghanistan’s batting ahead of New Zealand Test

The Afghan skipper also explained the importance of playing longer Test series to develop the team’s ability in the longest format of the game.

“If we get three or four-match series at a stretch, it will be helpful for us as a side. It’s not easy to come to red-ball cricket by just playing in the nets. Only by playing matches will you get better at judging the ball,” the southpaw said.

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