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Rashid Khan has admitted that playing Test cricket regularly for Afghanistan might not be possible for him in the future, mainly due to concerns about his back injury.
The Gujarat Titans star spoke after his match-winning performance against Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League 2026 game in Delhi. He revealed that his doctor has clearly advised him to stay away from the longer format of the game.
Will Rashid Khan participate in India vs Afghanistan Test?
Afghanistan is set to play a Test against India in June, but Rashid made it clear that he is unlikely to participate in that match. However, he was part of Afghanistan’s first-ever Test team in 2018, which also faced India.
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“Red-ball cricket is a little difficult because that was the first thing my doctor told me — ‘stay away from red-ball cricket’,” Rashid said.
“I still went ahead and played. After the surgery, I played a game 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’s not going to help me and that I won’t be able to play for long.
“I still went ahead and played, but when he found out I had bowled 67 overs across two innings, he was shocked. He said, ‘you can’t do that to yourself’,” he added.
Since Afghanistan became a Test-playing nation in 2017, they have played only a limited number of matches in that format, and Rashid himself has featured in just a few.
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Rashid Khan's main focus
Right now, his main focus is on white-ball cricket, especially One Day Internationals, as he looks ahead to the 2027 ODI World Cup. India will also host Afghanistan for a three-match ODI series in June, and Rashid is expected to be available for that.
“So yes, I will think about it. But ODI cricket — I really enjoy that format. I am in good shape to play ODIs for a longer period for Afghanistan. However, I want to be careful about how much I play and avoid putting too much load on myself if I want to have a longer career.
“Red-ball cricket is something that looks a bit difficult for me. If it’s one Test a year, I will take that, but I don’t think I can manage more than that. I will try, but if I bowl a spell of 20–25 overs, I have to bowl the whole day if I’m in the team.
“In my last two Test matches, I bowled 126 overs, which is simply too much. I will take it easy and prepare myself for the World Cup. Imagine if something happens to my back during a Test match, I can’t play 100 Tests. There is no specific target for me in Test cricket,” he said.
Rashid has been dealing with a serious lower back problem for some time. It worsened in November 2023, when he had to undergo surgery in the United Kingdom after playing through the ODI World Cup at less than full fitness.
He returned to action in early 2024, but playing continuously in different T20 leagues and domestic tournaments took a toll on his body again. Because of this, he decided to step away from Test cricket for a while to manage his fitness better.
He briefly returned in January 2025 for a Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo and delivered an outstanding performance, taking 11 wickets. However, his back troubles resurfaced later in the season and even affected his performance in IPL 2025. Afterwards, he took a two-month break to focus on recovery and fitness work. Now, he appears to be in much better shape.
In the recent match on Wednesday, Rashid played a key role by taking three wickets for 17 runs, helping the Gujarat Titans defend a total of 210 and secure a one-run victory.
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