Rashid Khan opens up about his return to playing longer formats right after his recovery from a back injury, which held him back from delivering in the IPL 2025.
After having two back-to-back flop seasons in the IPL with Gujarat Titans, Rashid Khan opens up about the struggles he had coming back from the injury. Rashid Khan had surgery on his right back after finishing the 2023 World Cup. Following the surgery, the leg-spinner was sidelined for 8–9 months.
Advertisement
Rashid Khan made his comeback in January 2025 in a Test series against Zimbabwe, but he was not supposed to play Test cricket straight away, right after recovering from injury. However, taking this as a challenge, Rashid Khan bowled 65 overs across the Test match, which took a toll on his body.
Also Read: Who Will Take Care of My Knees?" – Watch Dhoni’s Humorous Response to IPL Comeback Request
Rashid Khan Admits Rushing Back to Tests Was a Mistake
In an interview with ESPNcricinfo, Rashid Khan talks about his road to recovery.
“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 65 overs, and that pushed my back a little bit. I felt I shouldn’t have been in whites, I mean, T20 is fine. At that time, I didn’t realize, but later on, I felt that I made a mistake,” Rashid Khan said.
The Afghan spinner felt the only right solution was to step away for a while and let his body recover
After IPL finished, for three weeks, I didn't touch the ball. I spent most of my time with my family, and my nephews - going around with them, and had fun - just to take all those memories and stuff and bad days out of my mind, and then restart with the cricket. That's what I did just to be refreshed, and then got back on track and got back bowling in the right spot.
Also Read: Sourav Ganguly's blunt condition for Virat Kohli & Rohit Sharma to play ODI World Cup 2027
From Flop to Fightback: Rashid Khan Shines in The Hundred
Rashid Khan, who always shines with the ball, was not his usual self in the last two seasons of the IPL and international matches for Afghanistan. He managed to pick only 9 wickets in IPL 2025 in the 15 matches he played, with an economy over 9.30 against his career economy rate of 7.08. Meanwhile, in the Champions Trophy for Afghanistan, he picked only 1 wicket in 3 matches and bowled only 9 overs in the entire tournament.
Advertisement
However, Rashid Khan is slowly picking himself up as he is currently featuring for Oval Invincibles in The Hundred taking 6 wickets in 2 matches and has been named the Player of the Match in the last match he played against Manchester Originals.
Also Read: Shubman Gill set to be deputy for Asia Cup; To take over ODI captaincy from Rohit - Report
