While his brother Sarfaraz Khan is on the brink of making India debut, 18-year-old Musheer Khan is fast becoming a genuine all-rounder that Team India would need in the years to come. His numbers in the recent U-19 World Cup and the tri-series in South Africa before that were nothing short of exemplary, and deserve all the accolades.
But as is the case with every player, Musheer too has to undergo a rigorous grind at the domestic level, before harboring any further hopes. He would have to come up with strong performances in the Ranji Trophy, and other tournaments, where his brother Sarfaraz has been a stalwart. But of course, being a regular in the Mumbai side will only be the first progression.
Place Opened Up With Sarfaraz in Team India
The presence of Sarfaraz Khan in Team India for the England series, seems to have opened up a spot in the Ranji Trophy, for an extra batter, or perhaps an all-rounder like Musheer, who has been a regular No. 3 for the India U-19. Before the playoffs start in the tournament on Feb 23, Mumbai has a relatively easy match against Assam, and that is where Musheer could be drafted in.
He already has three FC games to his name, where he has scored 96 runs, and picked up two wickets. His more recent form, for the U-19 has been impressive too. In the tri-series in South Africa before the World Cup, he scored 94 runs in four matches, and remained not out in two of those, scoring runs at an average of 94. In the bowling department, he picked up five wickets at an average of 22.
Come the World Cup, he scored 360 runs at an average of 60, and ended the tournament as second-highest run-scorer. To go with that, he had seven wickets in as many outings, at an average of 26, that only make his case stronger.