The Kings XI Punjab’s head coach Brad Hodge has said that Mujeeb Zadran, Afghan spinner, has benefited from the team’s captain Ravichandran Ashwin's guidance in the Indian Premier League (IPL), according to a First Cricket report.

"Mujeeb has shown a great level of composure. At such a young age, he has confidence in his abilities,” Hodge said, adding that the leadership plays an important role in a player’s development and young Zadran’s improved performance has a lot to do with playing under the wings of Ashwin.

Mujeeb has played in all Punjab’s seven games and got seven wickets at an economy rate of 6.51. 

The report said that Ashwin in fact wanted the teenager to defend 17 runs against Delhi Daredevils at Kotla and he responded to his captain’s call by restricting the opposition to 12 runs.

“Mujeeb has shown a great level of composure. At such young age, he has confidence in his abilities. I would also give credit to Ashwin’s leadership skills. He has been very encouraging. Good leaders help talented players get to the next level,” Hodge said.

“Mujeeb is a very simple human being. Therefore, it is important that one makes him aware about the various processes without making it complicated. 

“Communication is one issue, but we have very capable assistant coaches, who would pass any specific message that needs to be conveyed to him,” he added.

Mujeeb has become the youngest ever cricketer to play in IPL. At only 17 years, Zadran became the youngest player to take to the field in an IPL match on April 9 when his team took on Delhi Daredevils.

Zadran was snapped up at the 2018 auction for $630,000 USD by Kings XI Punjab in January.