Ravichandran Ashwin: “Tayyab Tahir is an exceptional middle order player. Pakistan has found one after a long time”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin said Tayyab Tahir is the first “exceptional middle order player” Pakistan have found after a long time.
Tahir is a newcomer to the national team, but has already shown great potential in the eight ODIs and eight T20Is he has played.
The 31-year-old recently featured in the ODI tri-series against New Zealand and South Africa, where he struck 72 runs in three matches at an average of 36.
He didn’t have as much success in the 2025 Champions Trophy as he mustered five runs in two games at an average of 2.50.
Despite this, Ashwin thinks Tahir has a really bright future ahead of him.
“Tayyab Tahir is an exceptional middle order player. Pakistan has found one after a long time,” he said on his YouTube channel as quoted by A Sports.
Pakistan crashed out in the group stage of the Champions Trophy after losing to New Zealand and India.
Their final game against Bangladesh was abandoned due to rain.
Pakistan are now involved in a white-ball series against New Zealand, which comprises five T20Is and three ODIs.
Tahir is not part of the squad for the ongoing T20I series, where the men in green find themselves 2-1 down going into the 4th T20I on March 23 in Mount Maunganui.
However, he is part of the squad for the upcoming ODI series, which gets underway on March 29 in Napier.
Pakistan Squad for T20I Series against New Zealand: Hasan Nawaz, Omair Yousuf, Mohammad Haris, Abdul Samad, Salman Ali Agha (captain), Irfan Khan Niazi, Khushdil Shah, Shadab Khan, Abbas Afridi, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Khan
Pakistan Squad for ODI Series against New Zealand: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Akif Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Irfan Khan Niazi, Naseem Shah, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir