New Delhi: J&K seemed poised for a famous victory as they defeated Ishan Kishan-led Jharkhand by 107 runs in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2019. The chase provided batsman Abdul Samad with the perfect opportunity to showcase his pedigree. However, an unsuccessful ambitious attempt on spinner Shahbaz Nadeem proved costly, forcing him to walk back to the pavilion for just four runs. Soon after Samad was dismissed, J&K’s chase fizzled out, trailing by just seven runs.
“I shared some harsh words with Abdul. However, he is a quick learner and open dialogue is enough to get the message across,” former J&K head coach Milap Mewada said in an exclusive interaction with TimesofIndia.com.
The 24-year-old cricketer is undoubtedly a quick learner and this reflected in the way he adapted to different surfaces in the recent Ranji Trophy matches. Samad emerged as J&K’s top scorer, amassing 748 runs with 155 runs in 10 games, leading his team to a historic championship. The batsman especially proved his ability in the final against Karnataka, suppressing his attacking instincts, ensuring consistency and maintaining constant pressure.
“Building Mental Toughness Under Irrfan Pathan’s Leadership”
While Samad’s maturity and calmness are the talk of the town, executing this ironclad mentality has been a long process. The 24-year-old batsman had to face bricks when he was dismissed for low runs in the 2024-25 Ranji season, with J&K coach Ajay Sharma even dismissing him after his reckless dismissal against Mumbai. However, the 2025/26 season had to be different and Samad, under the guidance of former India cricketer Irrfan Pathan, shrewdly ensured that.
“It’s all about mental toughness and coping with pressure situations and Irrfan Bhai played a key role in sharpening this skill. While the younger Abdul just loved to smash the ball, the current version knows the importance of controlling his instincts, staying on the wicket and choosing his shots wisely,” Mewada said.
“Irrfan is like a big brother and mentor to Abdul. Whenever anything bad happens, you know you can reach out to your parents and that sums up their relationship. Irrfan constantly guides Abdul and takes time out to provide solutions during tough times. After going through the ups and downs, the mindset to excel is now clear,” he added.
Tom Moody’s Guidance on Convincing the Reluctant Chooser
Samad was recommended by Mewada and Irfan for the J&K U-19 team and impressed at the trials which attracted close to 900 boys. The 24-year-old batsman’s ability to score runs quickly was enough for the duo to believe in his potential. Mewada and Irrfan even convinced the selectors to further select Samad for the senior team despite their reluctance.
Former SRH head coach Tom Moody and assistant coach Simon Helmut also played a key role in helping the 24-year-old cricketer realize his potential and improve his game awareness. “The emphasis is always on staying calm and paying attention to the situation. Staying still and being in the moment is critical to success. Moody will encourage and support him, commit to a solution-focused approach, and help him develop structured innings,” Helmut shared.
Take the lead from the front
Interestingly, the J&K batsman, who started out as an opener, moved to the middle order at the urging of former India all-rounder Parvez Rasoul. While Samad was disappointed with Rasool’s performance in previous seasons, the former J&K captain was full of praise for his performance in the recent season. “Abdul was hitting every shot but fell behind a bit earlier. I always used to tell him that he has not lived up to his potential. However, Abdul has taken on the responsibility and led from the front in J&K in the recent Ranji season, believing in his abilities,” Rasool said.
With a major milestone approaching and the culmination of a feat that at one point in time seemed nearly impossible, a glorious world of possibility beckons.
