Afghanistan's premier spinner, Rashid Khan, has admitted that his premature return to Test cricket following back surgery significantly affected his performances in major tournaments earlier this year, including the Champions Trophy and the IPL 2025.
Rashid revealed that despite medical advice urging a gradual return, he chose to step back into the demanding red-ball format during Afghanistan’s Test series against Zimbabwe in January. Having undergone back surgery after the 2023 ODI World Cup, the spinner returned to bowl nearly 55 overs in the one-off Test match, which, in hindsight, he saif his body was not ready for.
“When I came back after surgery, I was told not to rush back to longer format that quickly, that isn’t going to be good for you. When I came after 8-9 months, I played Test cricket. I bowled 55 overs and that really pushed my back a little bit. I felt I shouldn’t have been in whites, I mean T20 is fine,” Khan told ESPN Cricinfo.
Rashid’s return to form
Rashid eventually struggled in the Champions Trophy, picking up just one wicket in three appearances. The slump continued in the IPL, where he managed only nine wickets in 15 games for Gujarat Titans, coupled with a career-worst economy rate of 9.34. Known for his consistency in T20 cricket, the drop in performance raised concerns.
Following the IPL, Rashid took a brief hiatus before returning in the Shpageeza Cricket League, where he regained form with the second-best economy rate in the tournament. He has since carried that rhythm into The Hundred, currently representing the Oval Invincibles and delivering successive three-wicket hauls.
Nevertheless, despite the misstep earlier in the year, Rashid achieved a major milestone by becoming the first bowler to claim 650 wickets in T20 cricket. With the Asia Cup looming, the Afghan talisman appears to be hitting his stride at the right moment.