The future of Rashid Khan in Test cricket remains uncertain, and Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi has now shared his thoughts on the star spinner's potential return to the longest format.
Speaking ahead of Afghanistan's one-off Test against India on June 4, Shahidi acknowledged Rashid's outstanding record in red-ball cricket but clarified that any decision regarding a comeback rests between the player and the national selectors.
Rashid has not featured regularly in Test cricket despite being one of Afghanistan's most successful bowlers in the format, leading to growing speculation about whether he will don the whites again.
Hashmatullah Shahidi responds to Rashid Khan's Test future
Addressing questions about Rashid's possible return, Shahidi revealed that he has not personally discussed the matter with the leg-spinner.
"Rashid has done well in the Tests (45 wickets in 6 Tests) that he has played. Personally I haven't spoken to Rashid about whether he would play Test again or not. He had discussions with selectors and I don't want to talk about that."
Rashid remains Afghanistan's most accomplished Test bowler despite playing only six matches. His tally of 45 wickets highlights the impact he has had whenever available for the national side.
While Shahidi refrained from commenting further on Rashid Khan's future, his remarks suggest that discussions regarding the spinner's Test involvement are still ongoing behind the scenes.
Afghanistan seek more opportunities in red-ball cricket
Shahidi also highlighted the challenges Afghanistan face in developing a competitive Test side due to their limited red-ball schedule.
Since making their Test debut against India in 2018, Afghanistan have played only a handful of matches in the format, making it difficult for players to gain consistent experience.
"We played India in 2018. We have more experience now but we need to play more to build our Test team. When it comes to domestic cricket, we play six to seven red ball games but Tests, we get only one or two games a year."
The Afghanistan skipper rejected suggestions that the country's top talents are solely focused on franchise T20 cricket, insisting there remains a strong pool of players eager to represent the national side in all formats.
Shahidi also backed Afghanistan's ability to compete in Test cricket, pointing to his own record in the format, which includes two double centuries and an average above 48.