A mountain of runs to contend with, nearly six sessions to negotiate and the responsibility of keeping Andhra from crumbling under the weight of it all. Enough to unsettle even a seasoned campaigner. But not Shaik Rasheed. He was anything but flustered, responding with a delightful exhibition of patience, composure and class.

His splendid 176 against Punjab in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group B clash at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium here was as much about temperament as it was about technique. It helped Andhra earn a draw and both teams got a point each.

Rasheed made batting look ridiculously easy. He gave the impression of having that extra fraction of a second to play his strokes. Even with the enormity of the task before him, there was little haste in his approach.

“We weren’t thinking about 592. We were setting short targets, 10 runs at a time. That made things easier,” Rasheed told The Hindu in an exclusive interaction.

While his talent is unmistakable, his association with Chennai Super Kings since 2023 has helped him develop another valuable attribute — the ability to remain composed, irrespective of the situation.

Watching M.S. Dhoni remain unruffled through success and setbacks has left a lasting impression on the young batter.

“Mahi bhai always says we should focus on what is in our control. We don’t know what the result will be, but our focus should be on giving our best,” he said.

“Whatever the result, he is always normal. He never seems to be under pressure! That’s something I’m constantly trying to learn from him.”

Michael Hussey, too, has played his part in shaping Rasheed’s approach.

“If a net session wasn’t going well, he would come and talk to me, ask me to take a break and start again. I interacted with him a lot regarding head position and technique.”

Rasheed also remains in regular touch with Ruturaj Gaikwad, discussing the finer aspects of constructing an innings.

“He has a lot of maturity in understanding the game. I’ve learnt a lot from him.”

With the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy round the corner, Rasheed now turns his attention to white-ball cricket. With sound fundamentals and the ability to adapt to different situations, the change in format should hold few fears for the 22-year-old.