Rashid Khan. Image Credits: AP
Senior Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan has dropped a major hint about his future in an international cricket format, and it has surprised many fans. Notably, this comes just before Afghanistan tours India in June.
Currently, Rashid Khan is playing in IPL 2026 for Gujarat Titans, and he has been in good form. On Wednesday, the 27-year-old all-rounder delivered an impressive performance, taking 3 wickets for 17 runs against Delhi Capitals.
Because of his efforts, Gujarat Titans successfully defended a target of 210 by just one run. However, despite performing well, Rashid’s long-term fitness remains a concern.
Doctor warns Rashid Khan about continuing cricket
After the match, while speaking at a press conference, Rashid revealed something significant about his health. He admitted that his doctor has advised him to stay away from red-ball cricket, which includes Test matches.
“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.
Although Rashid continued playing despite the warning, his doctor made it clear that it could harm his career in the long run.
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Rashid's injury struggle since 2023
It is important to note that Rashid Khan has been dealing with back issues since 2023, and this has affected his career significantly. He delayed surgery because he wanted to represent Afghanistan in the 2023 ODI World Cup, but this decision came at a cost.
After the tournament, he underwent surgery in the United Kingdom, which kept him out of cricket for several months. Although he returned in early 2024, the continuous pressure of playing in multiple leagues made his recovery difficult. As a result, he experienced stiffness and discomfort again.
Due to this, he decided to step away from Tests to protect his long-term fitness.
Rashid returned to Test cricket
Notably, in January 2025, Rashid Khan briefly returned to Test cricket and delivered an outstanding performance against Zimbabwe, taking 11 wickets. However, despite this success, his injury issues came back during the season.
His performance in IPL 2025 was also affected, making it a season he would rather forget. But after taking a two-month break and focusing on recovery and training, he has now returned in better shape.
It is important to note that since Afghanistan gained Test status in 2017, the team has played 12 matches, but Rashid has featured in only six. The last time he played a Test match was during the Afghanistan tour of Zimbabwe in 2024-25.
So far in IPL 2026, Rashid has taken 5 wickets in 3 innings and scored 24 runs in 2 innings. While he looks fit and effective, his participation in Test cricket remains uncertain.
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