Parvez Rasool: From terror suspect to bagging spot in Indian cricket team - Kashmiri boy's incredible journey

Parvez Rasool and Amit Mishra were called up in India's squad for T20 series against England, replacing Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.

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New Delhi: BCCI selectors on Monday announced the squad for 3-match T20I series against England, giving Kashmiri boy Parvez Rasool an opportunity to earn his first T20I cap.

Rasool, who has represented India in just one ODI, has the experience of playing in IPL with teams like Pune Warriors India, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bangalore.

The boy, who soon will be playing a T20 International for India, first broke into the Jammu & Kashmir team as a 20-year-old in 2009 and had to bear the pressure of politically-stricken crisis early in his career.

Early Struggle

As per a report in The Telegraph, during an U-22 competition against Karnataka, Rasool was detained by police outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore as they suspected him to be carrying explosives in his sports kitbag. The charge, however, was later removed after the police couldn't find any concrete proof to justify their allegations despite hours of questioning and investigations. He was eventually cleared and released without any charge.

What hints at the mental strength of Rasool is the fact that he didn't let the incident affect him and went on to score an impressive 69-run knock in their CK Nayadu Trophy game against home side Karnataka. In the 2012-13 season, Rasool was J&K's top scorer and wicket-taker. He bagged as many as 594 runs at an average of 54 along with taking 33 wickets.

The very next Ranji season, Rasool emphatically scored 663 runs, including two centuries and three fifties, at an average of 51. He also converted his form with the bat in terms of bowling too, bagging 27 wickets with two five-wicket hauls.

He, hence was deservedly named the best all-rounder in Indian domestic cricket.

He was then called up to the Indian A team, where he produced credible performances against teams like West Indies, South Africa and Australia. Subsequently, he made his IPL debut for now defunct Pune Warriors and claimed the wicket of none other than Jacques Kallis in the 2013 edition.

In IPL 2014, he played just two matches but took the prized wicket of Yuvraj Singh.

India Debut

Rasool was also picked for India’s senior ODI team for Zimbabwe tour where a young Virat Kohli led the team to 5-0 series triumph. But Rasool didn’t get an opportunity to play. His patience worked and finally under the captaincy of Suresh Raina, he made his India debut against Bangladesh on June 15, 2014.

J&K Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti also congratulated Parvez Rasool after he was selected to the Indian T20I squad. In a message to the tweaker, she said it was a moment of joy for the state that one of its sons was included in the Indian cricket team.

She said the youth in the state was bestowed with abundant talent and it was a question of providing them an opportunity to showcase it.

Very soon, the 27-year-old will be seen sharing dressing room with MS Dhoni and Kohli under the guidance of India's legendary spinner Anil Kumble.