Afghanistan all-rounder Rashid Khan is unlikely to play Test cricket in the near future and has taken a break from the game’s longest format
Star cricketer Rashid Khan has not been added to Afghanistan’s 20-member preliminary squad for the one-off Test match against New Zealand, which is set to commence from September 9 to 13, owing to the back injury, a source close to the team said. The 25-year-old cricketer is not set to play the red-ball game in the near future to nurse his back after having undergone surgery last year. The Afghanistan Cricket Board sources said that the team management had decided mutually on his break from the Test cricket with his back issues.
The Gujarat Titans star was out of action for four months after undergoing back surgery following the conclusion of the 2023 ODI World Cup in India in October-November. However, the star spinner was part of the 2024 T20 World Cup, where he guided Afghanistan to the semifinals. The GT star was recently seen playing the three matches in the Shpageeeza T20 league in Kabul, where he went on to scalp six wickets.
“The plan for Rashid after the surgery was to gradually increase his workload. Not playing the longer format for the next six months to one year was also part of the plan. In Tests, he would be required to keep bowling from one end and his back is not ready for that kind of workload. He should be available for the ODI series against South Africa next month,” the source said.
Rashid Khan is one of the greatest-ever cricketers to emerge from Afghanistan and has taken world cricket by storm since making his debut back in 2015. The star cricketer also sustained a hamstring injury during the Men’s Hundred Tournament 2024 earlier this year in the UK.
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