Afghanistan talisman Rashid Khan has revealed that he was approached by two countries, including India, with the offer of citizenship and the chance to represent them, but he declined, opting to stay true to his homeland.
The 27-year-old leg-spinner, one of Afghanistan’s most influential cricketers, made the revelation in his upcoming book Rashid Khan: From Streets to Stardom, where he recounts how the prospect of switching allegiances during the 2023 IPL season was informally discussed.
“I got such offers (of citizenship and playing) from both Australia and India. But I told them, ‘If I don’t play for my country, I won’t play for any other,'” the book quotes Rashid as saying.
While Rashid does not go into detail about Australia’s approach, he elaborates on India’s offer. At the time, he was playing in the IPL for Gujarat Titans when a team official informed him that a “senior official from the Indian Cricket Board” wanted to meet him.
“I went to him and greeted him. We got talking and he said, ‘The situation in your country (Afghanistan) is very bad. Stay in India. We will give you Indian documents, live here, play cricket here.’ I was surprised by what he was saying and didn’t know how to react. But I smiled and said, ‘Thank you very much. I play for my country, Afghanistan,” Rashid recalled.
The episode is not unique. Rashid’s loyalty to Afghanistan has made headlines beforeespecially in 2018 during his stint with Sunrisers Hyderabad. In the match against Kolkata Knight Riders, he produced a stunning all-round performance as he scored 34 off 10 balls and picked up three wickets to turn the game on its head.
The performance sparked a social media campaign in India, with fans urging the government to grant him citizenship. A few posts even tagged the then External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who responded by saying that citizenship matters were handled by the Home Ministry.
The campaign also drew a strong response from then-Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, who described Rashid as a matter of national pride and made it clear that the country would not part with one of its brightest cricketing assets.
Rashid later acknowledged the support, thanked Ghani and reiterated his commitment to Afghanistan, a stance he has consistently maintained despite options to move elsewhere.
From the dusty streets of Nangarhar to becoming one of the most sought-after T20 players in the world, Rashid’s journey has mirrored Afghanistan’s rise in international cricket. The book traces that journey in detail, from being overlooked in the Afghanistan Under-19 trial to emerging as a global star and being named the ICC Player of the Decade in 2020.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
19 Apr 2026 20:10 IST
