Abdul Samad

Not many can boast of playing cricket at the highest level from Jammu and Kashmir. This young kid, Abdul Samad has all the ingredients to become the first player from the state to make a mark in international cricket. In the 2020 IPL, Abdul Samad became just the 3rd cricket from Jammu and Kashmir to play in the IPL after Parvez Rasool and Rasikh Salam. His power-hitting abilities and his panache makes him a special talent at a very tender age. 

Raised in Jammu, Samad used to stay in the Ustad Mohalla along with his father and he saw a spark in him and wanted to see his son play for the Indian team in the future. Coming from a pretty humble background, Samad was provided coaching at the MA Stadium Coaching Centre where he was coached by Randhir Singh Manhas and his assistant Raman Thaploo. 

Samad is a rare talent and was spotted by Irfan Pathan who was appointed the mentor of Jammu and Kashmir some time back. It was in November 2019 when VVS Laxman had called the Jammu and Kashmir coach Milap Mewada enquiring about budding talents who could be picked by the Surisers  Hyderabad and Mewada readily suggested Samad’s name. Even Irfan Pathan praised heaped praises on the hard-hitting batsman and suggested that he could be a perfect finisher for SRH. 

Samad was bagged at his base price of 20 lakhs and in his debut for the Sunrisers Hyderabad he scored 7 balls 12 which included a massive six of Anrich Nortje who was bowling at 140 clicks. Though he didn’t post a substantial score but his one shot was enough to get an idea about his big-hitting prowess. In the match against the Mumbai Indians, Samad smashed Jasprit Bumrah for three sixes which definitely gives a fair idea about the talent he posses. 

Abdul hogged the limelight in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2019-20 when he smashed a sensational 68 of 52 deliveries. By the score you won’t get an idea of the impact the innings had on Samad. He smashed 7  big sixes and 5 of them came against bowlers of international standard. So he emerged as a prodigy and it will be interesting to see how his career pans out.

Samad has played 10 first-class games so far with a couple of centuries and 3 fifties. He looks a special talent and if nurtured well, Samad can go a long way. He is a part-time leg spinner and was entrusted with the final over in the 2020 IPL match against the Chennai Super Kings. He was up against Mahendra Singh Dhoni with 23 runs required, the teenager held his nerves and delivered a sensational final over.