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A first: Kashmir’s rising star Rasool makes it to Team India 
Suhail A Shah

Anantnag, July 5
Kashmir’s rising star Parvez Rasool today created history by becoming the first cricketer from Jammu and Kashmir to be named in the Indian team.

ON A HIGH: Parvez Rasool

Rasool (24), who has been in contention for national selection for a while now after a string of impressive performances, got the nod in the 15-member squad with the selectors preferring to go in with a young team for the five-match ODI series, to be held from July 24 to August 3 at Harare and Bulawayo.

“God has been very kind to me, I’m overwhelmed,” said the young all-rounder while talking to The Tribune on the phone from his home town Bijbehara in South Kashmir.

“I feel indebted to my family, friends and fans for their unflinching love and support. I’m looking forward to make the most of this opportunity,” he said.

The Zargar household in Bijbehara was flooded with people soon after the news of Rasool’s selection came out. “This is unbelievable! I hope he keeps on making me and the people of Kashmir proud,” Ghulam Rasool Zargar, Rasool’s father.

The decision to rest Ashwin paved the way for Rasool's selection in the senior team since he is also an off-spinner who has earned praise from the legendary Bishan Singh Bedi, who has coached J&K in the past season. After some match-winning performances in the Ranji Trophy last year, Rasool has been on a roll. The selectors picked him for the India-A side after he scored 594 runs, including two centuries, in the Ranji season. He also took took 33 wickets.

Rasool further reinforced the trust of the selectors after he managed to take 7 wickets, besides scoring quick fire 36 runs, in a warm-up match against the visiting Australian side.

The all-rounder cashed in on the opportunity to become the first cricketer from the Valley to bag an IPL contract when he was signed by Pune Warriors ahead of the sixth edition of the cash-rich T20 league. “I hope my selection will pave the way for other young cricketers. We have immense talent in the Valley. If we get good exposure and infrastructure, we can produce international cricketers in abundance,” said Rasool.