Legendary Indian spinner Anil Kumble believes Afghanistan bowler Rashid Khan is not as precise as he once was. Kumble believes that, despite his impressive repertoire of variations, the youthful spinner is no longer as terrifying to hitters, particularly in T20 cricket. As a result, the former cricketer believes he will not be as effective for Gujarat Titans in the 2026 Indian Premier League.
The Karnataka native came forth to say that there are other bowlers who are as talented as Rashid Khan, making him look a little faded than before.
He also advised the GT management to handle Rashid’s workload ahead of the upcoming IPL season and delegate more responsibilities to Washington Sundar and R Sai Kishore.
“I think the novelty of Rashid Khan has worn off a little. There are many similar bowlers available now, so he is not as intimidating as before. His workload has to be managed more, along with bowlers like Sai Kishore. Even Rahul Tewatia and Washington Sundar can contribute more for GT this season,” Kumble expressed via JioStar.
GT need to focus on their batting: Irfan Pathan
Meanwhile, cricketer-turned-commentator Irfan Pathan believes that the Gujarat-based franchise must try to utilize the maximum potential of the Caribbean all-rounder, whom they roped in for INR 7.00 crore in the mini-auction. However, Pathan also feels that GT need to be a little cautious about using their four overseas players, with big names like Rashid, Holder, Jos Buttler, and Glenn Phillips being around.
“Their bet on Jason Holder is interesting. He is an amazing bowler with the new ball, but his batting has improved, especially his six-hitting abilities. GT has put a lot of faith in that. Their main strength is their top three batters: Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, and Jos Buttler. How they use Washington Sundar will be important, as his batting has gotten better too. The role of Glenn Phillips, or whoever plays at number four or five, will also be very big,” Pathan said.
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