One of the youngest to notch up a Test match fifty in his debut game, Ibrahim Zadran’s performance in the second innings was pivotal for Afghanistan who nailed their second-ever Test match win by demolishing Bangladesh at the latter’s den. A compact opening batsman with plenty of grit, gumption and spunk, Ibrahim has been a consistent performer in his brief domestic career thus far back in Afghanistan. With averages in the 40s both in First-class and List A, and with Afghanistan facing opening concerns (especially after Shahzad’s controversial exit), Ibrahim’s chance had to come and the way he has started gives promise for a team that’s still in its early days in Test cricket. Of course, he isn’t a finished product by any means and is quite raw but his temperament is a quality that should hold him in good stead for the future. Ibrahim turns 18 in December 2019 and based on potential, seems here to stay, at least in the longest format of the game.

Written by Hariprasad Sadanandan