Who is Shaik Rasheed, whose idol is Joe Root, cover drive like Virat Kohli and pull shot like Rohit Sharma?

Indian cricket has long produced batters who grew up watching Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Shaik Rasheed, however, has chosen a different template. The 21-year-old Andhra batter looks to England great Joe Root for inspiration and is trying to build the kind of technique and temperament that can stand up to the demands of Test cricket.

Rasheed's admiration for Root goes beyond simply following the former England captain. He wears No. 66 on his jersey and regularly studies videos of Root's batting. Among all the shots in Root's repertoire, the back-foot punch through the covers is the one that has caught Rasheed's attention the most.

For a young batter hoping to make his mark in Indian cricket, it is a clear indication of the game he wants to play.

Who is Shaik Rasheed?

Shaik Rasheed is a right-handed top-order batter from Andhra Pradesh who emerged as one of India's promising young cricketers through age-group cricket. He was part of India's victorious Under-19 World Cup campaign in 2022 and has since been working his way through domestic cricket.

His approach is noticeably different from the high-tempo batting that has become increasingly common in modern limited-overs cricket. Rasheed is focused on building an innings, leaving the ball well, rotating the strike and waiting for the right delivery to attack.

That Root-like approach has become central to his development.

Rasheed has spoken about how closely he studies Root, particularly to understand the technical details involved in batting for long periods in multi-day cricket.

Why does Shaik Rasheed admire Joe Root?

For Rasheed, Root represents the sort of batter he wants to become.

The Englishman is known for his ability to score heavily without appearing rushed, particularly in Test cricket. Rasheed has tried to understand those qualities by watching Root's batting repeatedly.

His favourite shot is Root's back-foot punch cover drive. It may not have the visual impact of a huge six, but it requires precise footwork, balance and timing.

Rasheed's own training reflects that preference.

During a practice session at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, he was struck on the ribs by a delivery. Instead of ending the session, he used an ice pack and returned to the nets. He then asked the throwdown specialist to bowl the same type of delivery again.

The exercise continued for around 30 minutes as he worked on playing the shot better.

Shaik Rasheed's Ranji Trophy breakthrough

The hard work translated into numbers during the domestic season.

Playing for Andhra in the Ranji Trophy, Rasheed scored 627 runs in eight matches at an average of 89.57. His campaign included three centuries and two fifties, giving the youngster a major boost in his bid to move closer to the India setup.

The performances earned him an India A opportunity on the tour of Sri Lanka.

Against Sri Lanka A, Rasheed scored 63, 20 and 45. The matches also gave him an opportunity to work on his technique against the Kookaburra ball, with coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar helping him understand how to read the seam and shine.