Afghanistan’s premier spin bowler Rashid Khan is pessimistic about playing many Test matches for his country in the coming years, citing workload concerns following back surgery.
The Gujarat Titans star, speaking to the press after his match-winning spell in an IPL 2026 match against Delhi Capitals revealed in Delhi on Wednesday that he was strongly advised against playing red-ball cricket by his doctor.
Afghanistan are due to play a Test against India’s national cricket team in New Chandigarh in June, but Rashid admitted he was unlikely to take part. Notably, he was part of Afghanistan’s first ever Test match against India in 2018.
“Red-ball cricket is a bit difficult because that was the first thing my doctor told me – ‘stay away from red-ball cricket’,” Rashid said.
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“I still went ahead and played. After the operation I played a match against Zimbabwe and bowled 67 overs, which was crazy. The doctor told me, ‘if you don’t want to play cricket, you can keep playing red-ball cricket’. He said it wouldn’t help me and I wouldn’t be able to play for long.”
“I kept going forward and playing, but when he found out I bowled 67 overs in two innings, he was shocked. He said, ‘You can’t do that’,” he added.
Since gaining Test status in 2017, Afghanistan have played 12 Tests and Rashid has only played in six of them.
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Rashid also said he intends to prioritize white-ball cricket, especially One Day Internationals, as he sets his sights on the 2027 ODI World Cup.
India are also scheduled to host Afghanistan in a three-match ODI series in Juneand Rashid is expected to be a part of this team.
“So yes, I will think about it. But ODI cricket — I really enjoy the format. I’m in good shape to play ODIs for a longer period for Afghanistan. But I want to be careful how much I play and not push myself too much if I want to have a longer career.”
“Red-ball cricket looks a bit difficult for me. If it’s one Test a year, I’ll take it, but I don’t think I can do it. I’ll try, but if I bowl 20-25 over spells, I’ve got to do it all day if I’m in the team.
“I bowled 126 overs in my last two Test matches, which is just too much. I’ll take it easy and prepare for the World Cup. Imagine if something happens to my back during a Test match — I can’t play 100 Tests. There’s no specific target for me in Test cricket,” he said.
Rashid’s battle with a chronic lower back injury reached a tipping point in November 2023 when he underwent surgery in the UK after coming through the ODI World Cup at what he estimated was just 40 per cent fitness.
Although his return to competitive cricket in early 2024 initially appeared successful, the demands of consecutive franchise leagues and domestic T20 competitions soon revealed the fragility of his recovery. This resulted in considerable stiffness and eventually led to his retirement from Test cricket to maintain long-term fitness.
This cautious approach was briefly put aside in January 2025 when Rashid featured in a Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo and produced a remarkable 11-wicket haul. However, he struggled for the rest of the season, with the back problem resurfacing at various points and hampering his performance in IPL 2025 – a campaign he would prefer to forget.
After a necessary two-month break after the IPL 2025 season – focused on intense fitness and technical recalibration – Rashid has now returned to cricket in peak physical condition.
On Wednesday, he delivered figures of 3 for 17 to help Gujarat Titans defend the target of 210 by a single run, ending their two-game losing streak and opening their account in IPL 2026.
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Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
09 Apr 2026 07:53 IST
