Domestic cricket has witnessed the emergence of a fresh bowling talent as left-arm orthodox spinner Abid Mushtaq delivered a standout performance in the Duleep Trophy. Representing North Zone, the bowler dismantled the West Zone batting lineup by claiming five wickets while conceding just 39 runs, playing a pivotal role in putting his side ahead in the match.
Hailing from Bhaderwah, Abid looks up to star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja as his role model. Having previously played a defining part in guiding Jammu and Kashmir to their maiden Ranji Trophy title, the spinner made heads turn by outplaying notable names in the opposition camp. His standout dismissal included clean-bowling opening batter Prithvi Shaw with a sharp delivery, followed by sending back Shivalik Sharma, captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, Urvil Patel, and Tushar Deshpande.
Analyzing his bowling mechanics, the delivery that dismissed Prithvi Shaw showcased his tactical variation. Operating from around the wicket to a right-hander, the ball drifted in after pitching near the leg stump and straightened just enough to clip the off stump. While such angles in shorter formats often reduce the likelihood of leg-before-wicket dismissals, this particular execution caught the batter completely off guard.
Powered by his bowling spell, North Zone managed to bowl out West Zone for 187 runs in the first innings. Out of the 65.4 overs bowled by the North Zone attack, Abid shouldered a heavy workload of 25.4 overs, helping his team secure a 64-run first-innings lead.
Reflecting on his approach, the spinner attributes a part of his success to maintaining composure on the field and relying on deep tactical thinking, much like his idol Ravindra Jadeja who bowls marathon spells to trouble batters continuously. Notably, during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India in 2023, the Australian team had drafted Abid into their net bowling contingent specifically to prepare themselves for countering Jadeja's spin wizardry.
Additionally, Abid credits a portion of his adaptability to playing on red-soil pitches. Since such surfaces are uncommon in Jammu and Kashmir, gaining experience on diverse pitches allows him to refine his craft whenever he encounters tracks that differ from traditional black-soil or matting wickets.
