Afghanistan’s cricket team will be missing star spinner Rashid Khan in the upcoming series against India due to his ongoing recovery from back surgery. The 25-year-old leg-spinner underwent a lower-back surgery two months ago and has not regained full fitness, forcing him to miss the three-match T20I series against India. Despite his absence, Afghanistan captain Ibrahim Zadran remains optimistic about the team’s performance against a formidable Indian side.
Even though Rashid Khan has been traveling with the team to India and participating in training sessions, Captain Zadran confirmed that Rashid is still on the path to recovery and will miss the series. Without Rashid Khan, Afghanistan’s spin department will be led by Noor Ahmad and Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, with the experienced Mohammed Nabi adding depth. Captain Zadran, emphasizing Nabi’s seniority and wealth of experience, believes in the spinners’ capability to trouble the Indian batting lineup.
Despite acknowledging Rashid’s irreplaceability, Captain Zadran expressed confidence in the team’s ability to perform well. He stated that others have played a lot of cricket and will perform well, despite struggling without Rashid’s experience. The upcoming series marks the first bilateral encounter between India and Afghanistan since 2018, with Zadran conveying the team’s excitement to prove their mettle against strong opponents like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli on Indian soil. Various media platforms have reported on Rashid Khan’s unfortunate absence from the series, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding his return. The focus remains on the spin trio of Mohammad Nabi, Qais Ahmed, and Noor Ahmad, tasked with handling the spin department in Rashid’s absence.