Will Use Suggestions by Ashwin During World Cup: Mujeeb Ur Rahman

Both players have fed off each other while playing for Kings XI Punjab in the previous editions of the IPL.

Mujeeb learned some tricks from Ashwin this season in the IPL. 

(Photo: BCCI/IPL)

Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman on Tuesday said he has had discussions with Ravichandran Ashwin throughout the IPL about his bowling and will be taking his suggestions to the World Cup.

“Ashwin is a great bowler. His carrom ball is incredible and he has a lot of variations. I have discussed a lot of things with him and will be applying it in the World Cup.”

Mujeeb Ur Rahman

Mujeeb, however, clarified that he has not had specific discussions with Ashwin, his captain at Kings XI Punjab, about bowling in England or the World Cup and was mostly focused on the Indian Premier League (IPL). Mujeeb said he has prior experience of bowling in England which should help him in June.

“I have bowled there earlier and am familiar with the conditions. If I manage to hit the right areas and stick to the plan that the captain and the coaching staff devise then it will go well for me.”

Mujeeb Ur Rahman

Both players had spoken earlier about how they have fed off each other while playing for KXIP. Mujeeb said that after the 2018 season he saw Ashwin as a mentor and will be using a "new delivery" that he learnt from him.

Ashwin on the other hand said that he had learnt the reverse under-cutter from Mujeeb which works pretty well in the shortest format of the game.

Mujeeb had suffered a shoulder injury while fielding during KXIP’s match against Rajasthan Royals on April 16 and had to sit out the next two matches.

He returned in a match against Sunrisers Hyderabad in which a ballistic David Warner tore into him. He ended the match with figures of 0/66, the worst ever by a spinner in IPL history. However, Mujeeb said that he is now fit and ready to go in England.

"I had suffered a shoulder injury. Since then I have recuperated well and am fit enough to play at the World Cup” Mujeeb concluded.