Afghanistan captain Rahmat Shah said in the ICC's 5 November report that Rashid Khan is not ready for Test cricket during the Zimbabwe series in Sharjah. Shah said the leg-spinner remains in the team's plans once medical staff consider him fit enough to return.
Medical advice keeps Rashid out of Tests
Shah told the ICC that Afghanistan's medical staff and physiotherapists advised against rushing Rashid back into the longer format. The captain described the bowler as still unready for Test cricket. The ICC links his recent absence from the format to concerns about a previous back injury and managing his workload.
The captain also described a selection balance across formats. Afghanistan want Rashid available for white-ball cricket and do not want a Test appearance to put that at risk. Shah said the repeated bowling demands of Tests make the medical advice especially relevant for a player with a history of back trouble.
Afghanistan skipper Rahmat Shah told the ICC: “he will obviously be part of the Test squad”. That assurance was conditional on Rashid becoming fully fit. It did not name a return match or a date for medical clearance, and the current series is proceeding without a confirmed Test comeback for him.
The ICC's 5 November account puts Rashid's experience at 6 Tests and more than 245 white-ball international appearances. Those figures describe a substantial difference in his experience across formats, but they do not establish when his body will be ready for longer spells again.
October squad decision remains in force
SportsRivo compared the ICC's 1 October Afghanistan squad notice with Shah's remarks reported on 5 November. The earlier notice said the Afghanistan Cricket Board had rested Rashid and Ibrahim Zadran for three Tests on advice against longer-format participation at that stage. Shah's later explanation adds the medical and workload reason for Rashid's continuing absence; it does not announce a reversal of that decision.
The opposition's leadership has changed ahead of the same series. SportsRivo's 5 November report records Brian Bennett's appointment to captain Zimbabwe while Richard Ngarava recovers from a back injury. Afghanistan's decision concerns Rashid's bowling availability, while Zimbabwe's concerns its captaincy.
What the update means for Afghanistan
- Rashid remains outside Afghanistan's immediate Test bowling plans while medical staff advise against a return, according to Shah's ICC comments.
- Afghanistan are protecting his white-ball availability while the Test workload remains a concern, rather than setting a comeback date.
Second Zimbabwe Test remains scheduled
The ICC's 5 November schedule places the second Zimbabwe Test in Sharjah from 13 November. Shah has given no indication that Rashid will be cleared for it.
Source: International Cricket Council