Afghanistan mystery spinner AM Ghazanfar has revealed the motivational support he received from Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya as he hopes to be retained by the franchise for IPL 2026. Despite missing last season through injury, the 19-year-old remains grateful for Pandya’s encouragement during his recovery.​

Hardik’s Constant Support

Ghazanfar was set to make his IPL debut with Mumbai Indians last season, but a back injury ruled him out of the entire tournament. During that difficult period, Pandya stayed in regular contact, providing crucial mental support.​

“Despite the injury, Hardik bhai remained in touch with me and motivated me a lot. Even with Tilak I had long chats about the game. I hope this year too Hardik bhai is my captain,” Ghazanfar told PTI ahead of the November 15 retention deadline.​

The Afghanistan teenager, who will represent his country in the Rising Stars Asia Cup in Doha, is keeping his fingers crossed as franchises finalize their retention lists.​

Rapid International Rise

Over the past 18 months, Ghazanfar has made his debut across all three formats for Afghanistan, showcasing the rapid progression that first caught Mumbai Indians’ attention. He rose to prominence through his mystery spin in Afghanistan’s local T20 league before quickly transitioning to international cricket.​

The workload proved challenging. Last December, he received a call for his Test debut against Zimbabwe—which also happened to be his maiden first-class match. Bowling over 30 overs on a placid pitch after playing seven to eight tournaments back-to-back took a toll on his body.​

“I played a lot of cricket back to back last season. It was one tournament to another and seven to eight tournaments in total. When the Test match came, my body was not ready for the extra load. I have fully recovered now and a lot wiser,” he explained.​

Mystery Over Orthodox Spin

Ghazanfar doesn’t consider himself a traditional off-spinner. Instead, he relies heavily on backspin, googlies, and carrom balls to deceive batters.​

“I don’t look at myself as an off-spinner as I don’t bowl off spin a lot. T20 is a batter’s game now, spinners don’t get a lot of help on pitches. Perfect example is IPL where you don’t get a lot of spin tracks,” he said.​

“Off break easily comes to bat. Leg break can be tricky and with mystery, the balls skids and you can vary your pace. Mystery is better,” the teenager added.​

Afghanistan’s Spin Factory

When asked why Afghanistan continues producing mystery spinners at an impressive rate, Ghazanfar credited the depth of talent in domestic cricket.

“If you look, some countries have good fast bowlers, some have good batters, similarly we have a lot of spinners in domestic cricket. That is why we are strong at the international level,” he reasoned.​

Learning from Legends

Growing up, Ghazanfar studied videos of Sunil Narine and R Ashwin extensively. He was fortunate to meet Ashwin during a stint with Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, receiving valuable advice from the veteran.​

“He is a very experienced bowler. He shared his rich experience with me. Thankful him for that. IPL taught me to perform under extreme pressure even though I did not get to play,” Ghazanfar said.​

Format Preference

Despite making an unexpected Test debut, Ghazanfar doesn’t hide where his true passion lies. “I like Tests but I want to play T20s more,” he admitted.​

His bowling style—reliant on variations, pace changes, and deception—is tailor-made for the shortest format, making him a valuable asset for any T20 franchise.

Retention Prospects

According to MyKhel, Mumbai Indians are expected to retain Ghazanfar, recognizing him as a top prospect they want to keep hold of. His potential, combined with Pandya’s vocal support and MI’s investment in youth, suggests the Afghanistan spinner’s IPL journey is just beginning.​

Whether retained or entering the auction, Ghazanfar’s rapid rise and unique skill set make him one of the most exciting young spinners in world cricket.