Musheer Khan Credits ‘Natural Game’ for Stellar Performance in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26

Musheer Khan is still in the early stages of his domestic cricket career. As he aims to secure his spot in Mumbai’s lineup across different formats, he makes it a priority to learn from his senior teammates.

On Tuesday, during an 82-run stand with Mumbai’s temporary captain Shreyas Iyer, Musheer felt at ease. Having known Shreyas, an Indian international, for years and having played with him previously, Musheer realized his role was to play liberally and help Mumbai achieve a competitive score.

He brilliantly executed his strategy, scoring 73 from 51 balls.

“While on the field, Shreyas and I didn’t engage in much conversation. However, during team meetings, he consistently encourages us to play our natural game. In our team, we’re motivated to perform freely, and there’s a conscious effort to let us play without restraints, which is a great help,” said Musheer, who was named Player of the Match.

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In the Indian Premier League, Musheer is part of the Shreyas-led Punjab Kings. Despite having played only one match last season, the team retained him for the 2026 edition as the captain showed confidence in him.

“Shreyas has watched me grow up and knows my playing style. He has also observed me in the Ranji Trophy, so there’s no need for me to try and impress him,” Musheer said with a smile, adding, “But I think I’ve already made an impression, which is why he brought me into Punjab Kings.”

Despite challenging conditions, Shreyas and Musheer understood that success lay in assessing each ball on its merits.

“This was our third game at this venue, so we had some insight into how it might behave. After Shardul Thakur took five wickets here the other day, we anticipated the first five to seven overs would be tricky,” Musheer explained. “With a delayed start, we knew the initial overs would pose a challenge, and after that, it would ease up. So, we adapted accordingly…”

Published on Jan 06, 2026