‘We need to look at our dot ball average’ - Richard Pybus on Afghanistan's batting concerns

Afghanistan head coach Richard Pybus has identified dot-ball percentage and strike rates as critical areas requiring improvement as his side prepares for a three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe. The series begins on October 27 in Sharjah, coming shortly after Afghanistan's recent engagement against India in T20I cricket. Pybus believes the upcoming assignment offers an opportunity to address batting deficiencies that emerged during the India series.

Over the past year, Afghanistan's T20I unit has recorded a dot-ball percentage of 43 and a strike rate of 136.4, metrics that Pybus views as requiring urgent attention. The recent series against India, despite resulting in defeats, provided valuable insights into areas needing development. Pybus acknowledged that benchmarking Afghanistan's performance against a top-ranked side helped identify specific weaknesses in the batting approach.

In terms of the development of the T20 side, Pybus explained the squad's strengths and the refinements needed to maintain consistent run-scoring.

"In terms of the development of the T20 side I think we know that we've got power hitters and we know that we've got a group of really high-quality all-rounders. I think we've got to develop our batting and the nuance of our batting so that we can just keep the volume of runs flowing," Pybus was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.

Afghanistan's batting unit has underperformed in recent T20I assignments, and Pybus identified specific technical areas where the side must improve to compete at the highest level. The coach stressed that dot-ball percentage and strike rate are interconnected metrics that determine a team's ability to build momentum and post competitive totals in the shortest format.

"We need to look at our dot ball average and we've got to look at strike rates. For us as a side which is still in its developmental process as a team it (playing against India) has been an opportunity for me to be able to benchmark where we are against a side which is across formats if it's not number one it's one of the top sides in the world," he added.

"It really isn't nice getting beaten that's for sure but if you're going to have an opportunity to be able to benchmark where your side is at against the world champions with them playing at home it was really a fantastic opportunity," Pybus said.

How has Ibrahim Zadran adapted to captaincy?

While Rahmat Shah has been entrusted with leading Afghanistan's Test and ODI sides, Ibrahim Zadran was given the responsibility of captaining the T20I unit. His maiden assignment came against India in Delhi, where Afghanistan faced the world champions on a small ground with a perfect batting surface. Pybus was impressed with how the new captain managed the side under challenging circumstances.

"We have a new captain Ibrahim and it was, dare I say it, a baptism of fire, you know, to go to India, play in Delhi in front of a packed house, and on a small ground on a perfect batting surface against the world champions," Pybus said.

"It doesn't get any tougher than that and I have to acknowledge that he managed the side well and stayed cool under pressure," he added.

"It was interesting during the series watching him take ownership of the side and I think the more time that he has with the T20 side and the more cricket that we can give him I think he is really going to accelerate," he further said.

What role does Rashid Khan play in the new setup?

There had been speculation that Rashid Khan was unhappy after being removed as T20I captain, but Pybus dismissed those suggestions, praising the veteran leg-spinner's professionalism and his support for Ibrahim Zadran. The coach emphasised that Rashid Khan's transition from captain to senior player reflected the squad's evolving structure rather than any internal conflict.

"Rashid was fantastic in the dressing room while Ibrahim has got a close relationship with Rashid and he gave him his full support, both in terms of his strategic input and you know with his game awareness," Pybus said.

Pybus characterised Rashid Khan as a model professional whose experience and knowledge remained valuable to the team's development. The coach noted that having a senior player of Rashid Khan's calibre available to share strategic insights and tactical awareness strengthened the squad's overall approach to T20I cricket.