T20 World Cup – Net Bowler Avesh Khan: Delhi Capitals premier fast bowler Avesh Khan was selected as Team India’s net bowler for the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 after his impressive performance in IPL 2021. However, his father Aashiq Khan is not happy with this and even feels that Avesh being named net bowler is a demotion. In an exclusive interview with Insidesport Avesh’s father said that he wants his son to play Test match cricket for Team India.
Avesh hails from Indore, a city of Madhya Pradesh. His father (Ashique Khan) owns a paan shop. He wants to see his son to play Test match cricket for India. Avesh is yet to make his India debut in any format of the game. The right-arm pacer was exceptional in the recently concluded IPL 2021 where he picked 24 wickets in 16 matches.
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How happy were you when Avesh Khan got selected as a net bowler for T20 World Cup?
Learn and move on. pic.twitter.com/PpycCK653J
— Avesh Khan (@Avesh_6) October 8, 2021
Avesh has dismissed MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in one season. DO you think it is his greatest achievement?
I am happy, but all the wickets he has taken so far have been top-order batsmen. He has taken very few wickets of the lower order batsmen. Earlier he did not get so many chances in IPL, but this time he got a chance and he has capitalized it well. IPL is a good platform for players to showcase their talent. I was hoping that he would play Test cricket first and not T20Is. I want him to play Test match cricket for Team India.
I talk with him at least 5-6 times a day. Whenever he sits on the bus to go somewhere, the first thing he does is call me or his mother. He talks with us every day before, after the match and before sleeping. Yes, we are happy that he has been named as a net bowler in the World Cup (T20 World Cup 2021). But our happiness will be even more if he plays for Team India. He has been going with the team as a net bowler for 3 years.
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Venkatesh Iyer is also from Indore. What do you want to say about his friendship with Avesh?
Venkatesh and Avesh Khan are close friends. I had read or heard somewhere that at some place Avesh was asked who is your best friend, then he took Venkatesh’s name. Our houses are also nearby. Both are playing in MP team for years. Rajat Patidar is also a resident of this place. These three are good friends.
I believe that no man plays thinking that he has to play an international match. He used to play with the plastic ball in his childhood. Then started playing with the tennis ball. I was also very fond of cricket. I also participated in the procession for the celebration of the 1983 World Cup in Indore. This passion must come in the child. As a child, I had allowed Avesh to play cricket just for fun. When he expressed his desire to me to get admission to Indore Course Club I was happy.
There was one Amardeep Pathania in the Indore course, he was Avesh Khan’s first coach. He was also the umpire. During this time the MPCA had planned to open an academy. His responsibility was handed over to Amay Khurasia sir. During that time the trial of all the children of the state was taking place. Seeing his performance, Khurasia sir had said in 2011 that it is my dream that Avesh plays for Team India. Then we prayed for Khurasia sir’s dream to come true.
I take back happy and positive memories with this beautiful team and can’t express how much this means to me. We wanted to win the title for us and for you fans, but we fell short of the dream. Hopefully, we will back again and we will continue to roar together.#DelhiCapitals pic.twitter.com/Aa8pc2dfmz
— Avesh Khan (@Avesh_6) October 14, 2021
How did Avesh Khan get selected in IPL?
He played under-19 World Cup in 2014. Vijay Zol was the captain then. Players like Deepak Hooda and Sarfaraz Khan played together. He got injured in the second match of that tournament and could not play the rest of the match. After this, he played the 2016 Under-19 World Cup and then became India’s highest wicket-taker. From here we thought that some team would buy him in the IPL, but it did not happen. Rishabh Pant, Ishaan Kishan and Khaleel Ahmed were also with him then. Avesh has a strong friendship with Pant. After not getting picked in the IPL auction, I thought Avesh’s bowling was not fit for T20, but for Tests. Then I said very clearly that you will play Test first because your bowling is not fit for T20.
The Royal Challengers Bangalore team’s bowling was a flop in the 2017 season. They were destined to reach the semi-finals, but Harshal Patel and the rest of the bowlers were flops. Then probably his team’s bowling coach was Bharat Arun. At that time Sarfaraz Khan suggested to him that Avesh Khan should be included in the team’s bowling lineup. Then following his advice, Avesh got a chance in RCB. Then the base price was only 10 lakh rupees. The mega auction took place in 2018. Avesh was then bought by Delhi Capitals for Rs 70 lakh. At that time I had got a bike.
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