Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan to take a break from Test cricket

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, The Indian Express understands.

“The lower back injury has been troubling him for a while now. He has decided to take a break from Test cricket for one year,” an Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) official told The Indian Express.

Rashid Khan had undergone a minor lower-back surgery in November last year.

Rashid Khan has been ruled out of Afghanistan’s one-off Test against New Zealand, which starts on September 9 at the Greater Noida Sports Complex.

Rashid Khan has played five Test matches and picked 34 wickets at an average of 22.35. His best bowling figures of 11 for 275 came against Zimbabwe in Abu Dhabi in March 2021, his last Test match.

Rashid Khan’s omission from the Test squad has not come as a surprise as the all-rounder has also skipped Afghanistan’s ODI series against Sri Lanka and Ireland played in February and March.

The 25-year-old also sustained a hamstring injury while playing for Trent Rockets in the men’s Hundred tournament.

However, a week later Rashid turned up to play in the Shpageeza T20 League, where he captained Speen Ghar Tigers and played three games, picked up six wickets and smashed 53 runs off 26 balls in the last league match.

Rashid Khan had played a pivotal role for Afghanistan in the T20 World Cup, where they secured their first semi-final appearance. Rashid picked up 14 wickets in the tournament.

The Afghanistan cricket team reached Greater Noida on Wednesday and will undergo a one-week preparatory camp for the Test against New Zealand. After the one-off Test match, they will go to the UAE, where they will be playing a three-match ODI series against South Africa at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

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