Last season, Bengal all-rounder Rahul Prasad won every award in the C.A.B. U-23 category. Best batter, best bowler, player of the year, Rahul bagged every possible award in his category. Soon, he made his first-class debut against Tripura, and Sportz Point was there at the ground to witness the moment.
Although Rahul Prasad was fulfilling his dream of playing Ranji Trophy for Bengal, he knew he had to step up his game to survive at that level. Rahul scored 35 with the bat in his debut inning, but felt he missed a big one, as Bengal gave away three points to Tripura.
The right-handed batter was clean bowled by left-arm spinner Swapnil Singh. It was not just any simple dismissal for the young all-rounder.
Before his debut, Rahul was facing some issues playing against the left-arm orthodox spinner, and after his dismissal, he knew he needed to fix the trend before it became a weakness.
Shahbaz’s guidance to Rahul
After that match in Agartala, Bengal were supposed to face Railways in Surat. The time between the games provided Rahul Prasad with the opportunity to fix his issue. And he did not have to look further for help.
Since his first-class debut, Shahbaz Ahmed has emerged as one of the best all-rounders. His batting average of 42.29, along with his ability to contribute in most crunch times, makes him one of the most impactful players in the country. And Rahul wants to replicate the career that the Haryana-born all-rounder has achieved.
Most importantly, they both bat around the same position. So, Rahul asked how Shahbaz would play outgoing spinners? Shahbaz just gave him one simple tip.
“Stand on the middle stump,” Shahbaz told Rahul.
That simple tip turned Rahul into a better batter, as he finished as the fourth-highest run-scorer of the C.A.B. first-division championship knockout stage. His 277 runs in four matches played an anchor role as Town Club defeated Mohun Bagan Athletic Club to win their maiden First Division title.
“I was struggling a bit against the left-arm spinners. As you know, I consider myself a proper batter who can contribute anywhere in the batting lineup. So, I had to fix that,” Rahul told Sportz Point in an exclusive interview after winning the title.
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How did standing on the middle stump help Rahul become a more complete batter?
Rahul normally bats at five, six, or seven. In red-ball cricket, he normally had to face the spinners in the middle overs. And every good team has a quality left-arm spinner to control that period. So, Rahul wanted to have control over that period of the game.
“For a period, I faced an issue in picking up the trajectory of the ball, resulting in missing the line of the ball. Sometimes, I would get trapped in the front or get bowled,” Rahul shared.
“Shahbaz (Ahmed) bhai suggested taking the middle stump guard and then playing every ball guarding my stumps. If the ball spun away, I would normally miss the ball, and if it came in, I would be in line to defend or go for the shot,” the 21-year-old all-rounder explained.
Rahul Prasad already had a great sweep, and covering his stump also allowed him to go for his favourite shot easily. But one thing he needed to ensure was that his head did not fall over.
“The way he has performed in domestic cricket is something I would like to replicate as a player. His little tip helped him sort out a big issue with my batting, which worked really well for me.”
Read also: 7 uncapped players to watch out for in Bengal T20 League 2026.
Rahul wants more “control” in his bowling
Although Rahul Prasad has shown his capabilities with the bat in hand in recent few seasons, off-spin is his main armoury. So, when he had Shahbaz Ahmed in proximity, he did not let the opportunity to learn the craft pass by.
“Against good teams, the main thing you need to have is control. If the condition is in your favour, you need to attack. But when the situation is tough, checking the run flow becomes a great asset,” Rahul told.
Not only that, but bowling against both right and left-handed batters, and knowing the situation of the game, is something Rahul has learned well during his short, yet promising career so far.
“You need to give your captain the option that you can bowl against anyone. Yeah, I might have to go for a unique plan against a right-hander and attack more against left-handers, but as a bowler, I need to have everything in me.”
Rahul finished with nine wickets in four games on flatter pitches during the summer in the knockouts.
Seventh in the bowler’s leaderboard and fourth in the batting list - no one came close to Rahul Prasad’s all-round ability in the first-division championship knockout round.
But for someone who has seen extreme poverty, worked as a food delivery driver to keep his dream alive, it is just the start. After lifting the historic title for Town, he just wants to keep winning games whenever and wherever he plays.
“Winning the title will surely give me more confidence in the future. We have beaten a big team like Mohun Bagan. But I feel I could have done more for the team.”
“I want to stay hungry for more success. I want to win lots of games for the teams I play for. And I will have to keep learning to reach a higher level,” Rahul concluded.
Rahul’s eye is now on the Bengal T20 League 2026
Rahul Prasad knows that it is very important to become an all-format player to catch the eyes of selectors. Moreover, platforms like the Bengal T20 League 2026 can make any cricketer’s career within weeks.
So, after a successful red-ball season, Rahul’s focus is now on the Bengal T20 League 2026, where he will play for the Shrachi Rarh Tigers under the guidance of Wriddhiman Saha.
