Rashid Khan Arman, Afghanistan’s T20I captain and an indispensable member of the Sunrisers Hyderabad franchise, spoke to The Telegraph in the lead-up to the IPL XII match in Bangalore on Saturday.

The 20-year-old Rashid is, by the way, the world’s No.1-ranked all-rounder in ODIs and holds the No.1 position among bowlers in T20Is.

Clearly, it’s an awesome CV.

Excerpts...

Q The Sunrisers did well to get you on board, in 2017, and there has been no looking back for both. How do you approach your cricket?

A Where small targets go, I look to perform in every match. Whether for Afghanistan, for the Sunrisers in India or for Adelaide Strikers. Not only do I look to perform, I look to enjoy every outing. I know I have to keep improving and that comes through learning and experience... As a cricketer, I have changed (for the better) in the past year.

Q Was there a turning point?

A Actually, it was a match in your city... Last year’s Qualifier II against the Kolkata Knight Riders... The Sunrisers had to win to make the final and the franchise had high expectations... I remained not out on 34, took three wickets, held catches and effected a run out too. For me, that match (which fetched the MoM award) at the Eden will stay special for all time to come. It remains a night to remember, as I met the expectations of the Sunrisers and my own expectations as well.

Q The Sunrisers have had a mixed IPL this year. Your take?

A Well, T20 is tough... The Sunrisers lost a couple of matches which should have been won. Other than that, the Sunrisers have been pretty good. It is about taking responsibility, it’s about stepping up and it is about delivering... Look at the way Manish Pandey has been batting.

[Should the Knights win on Sunday, it would be the end of the Sunrisers’ campaign in 2019.]

Q How is the highly-respected Kane Williamson as captain?

A The way Kane manages bowlers and fielders is admirable, thinking-wise he’s superb. Kane thinks about the situation and invariably takes the right decision at the right time. You need such a captain.

Q I assume you pick Kane’s brain whenever possible...

A Indeed... I try and bounce ideas off Kane, try to learn from him. It’s fascinating trying to understand how Kane takes decisions and the reason(s) behind his decisions.

Q You’re Afghanistan’s T20I captain, so Kane’s tips would naturally come in handy...

A As I’ve said, I try and learn, try to understand the reason(s) why a certain decision has been taken.

Q Anything specific that you recently asked Kane?

A The World Cup is mere weeks away and the pressure would be huge, so I asked Kane how could I be at my best under pressure.

Kane Williamson (Telegraph picture)

Q Kane’s answer?

A Brilliant... Kane said that the game wouldn’t change, that it would still remain the cricket we all know. The way I thought, the way I approached the World Cup... That could make it different. He suggested I focus on the job alone.

Q But the World Cup is like no other tournament and external factors would definitely come into play...

A Kane’s view is that while the World Cup is a massive tournament, that aspect has to be kept out of one’s thinking.

Q Besides Kane, among teammates, who do you talk to the most?

A Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar Kumar)... Martin Guptill and Siddarth Kaul too. Bhuvi, the Sunrisers’ vice-captain, has plenty of experience and our conversations have been on handling specific situations. Such interactions add to a cricketer’s education.

Q It hasn’t helped that the dashing opening pair of David Warner and Jonny Bairstow got ‘unhinged’ at such a critical time in the Sunrisers’ campaign...

A Yes, their opening partnerships did the talking. However, the good thing about the Sunrisers is that we have players with ability and skill. Guptill, for example, is rich in experience as an opener.

Q Final one... Maybe some words on Knight Andre Russell, who has taken apart just about every attack in this edition of the IPL...

A (Laughs) Russell ke batting ka koi kitaab mein explanation nahin hai... Russell kahaan se kahaan maarta hai aur kis tarah se maarta hai... No book would have an explanation for that... What do you do when somebody is hitting even your best deliveries for six? On a flat wicket, the yorker is the best option. But if someone hits even a yorker for six, what do you do about that? Amazing Russell appears unstoppable.