Exclusive: Mentor Younis Khan Believes Afghanistan Has Multiple Match-Winners Beyond Rashid and Gurbaz

Afghanistan’s newly appointed mentor, Younis Khan, believes his role with the team will be instrumental in their preparations for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025.

The former Pakistan captain previously worked with Afghanistan as a batting coach in 2022 during a 15-day training camp in Abu Dhabi with an expanded squad of 25 players. Now, he has returned to the Afghanistan setup as a mentor after being appointed by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) ahead of the global tournament.

“My experience with Afghanistan cricket and its players has been very smooth. They are respectful, and since we share a similar language and culture, it becomes easier for me to communicate and share my experience with them,” Younis told SportsBoom.com. 

STRONG BOND WITH AFGHAN PLAYERS WILL BE KEY TO SUCCESS

Reflecting on his previous coaching stint, Younis emphasised the strong bond he shares with the Afghan players.

“We had excellent communication and mutual respect. Whenever I shared inputs with them, I received great feedback. As a batting coach, I focused on key areas such as building an innings, handling pressure, forming partnerships, and rotating strike—something many teams struggle with because players often want to score quickly. While aggressive batting is part of modern cricket, rotating strike remains essential in all formats. I also worked on helping players understand how to pace their innings, build centuries, and convert them into match-winning knocks,” he said.

“I don’t take full credit, but Afghanistan has significantly improved in these areas. Their performances last year, especially in the World Cup, where they defeated top teams, are a testament to that. As a mentor, the shared language and cultural understanding will once again play a vital role."

“I am grateful to the ACB for giving me this opportunity to work with Afghanistan’s young players. This isn’t my first time coaching them—I had already worked with them for nearly a month in 2022. The Champions Trophy will be played in Pakistan, where I spent my entire career, so I am well-acquainted with the conditions. That makes my job even easier."

CHAMPIONS TROPHY QUALIFICATION A MAJOR ACHIEVEMENT 

Younis sees Afghanistan’s participation in the Champions Trophy as a significant milestone and urges the team to make the most of it.

“Playing in the Champions Trophy is a huge achievement for Afghanistan. In the past, we saw individual brilliance, but now, the team is delivering collective performances, and we are witnessing match-winning contributions. For me, a century in a losing cause doesn’t matter as much as scoring 30-50 runs that help the team win."

“Lately, I have been watching Afghan players score centuries that lead to victories and bowlers take crucial wickets that secure wins. This is the major transformation I have noticed in the team. Over the last three to four years, Afghanistan has not only participated in big tournaments but has also emerged as a serious contender against top sides like Australia, England, India, and Pakistan.”

Afghanistan’s performance and preparation in 2024 have been remarkable, according to Younis. He noted that the team no longer relies on just one or two key players to deliver match-winning performances.

“When I look at the team now, there are multiple match-winners—not just Rashid Khan in bowling or Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz in batting. There are senior players who step up under pressure. Last year was filled with achievements, and this is a great sign for both the team and the coaching staff as they move towards the Champions Trophy.”

Another factor contributing to Afghanistan’s recent success, Younis pointed out, is the consistency in their coaching setup.

“One of the best things is the continuity in the coaching staff. Watching Jonathan Trott and other coaches stay with the team for an extended period has yielded great results. There haven’t been many changes in the playing XI either, and the players have been given consistent opportunities, which has strengthened the team,” he concluded.