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Rashid Khan (Source: X)
The star all-rounder Rashid Khan is excluded from the Afghanistan squad for the upcoming one-off Test match against New Zealand. Rashid's absence will be impactful for the team as he's a magnificent player with great knowledge of the game, and against a team like New Zealand, a senior is needed to keep the batters in check. However, the reason behind Rashid's absence is his injury. He's still recovering from his back injury which he sustained during the World Cup.
While he participates in shorter formats, playing longer ones has been forbidden for a while. However, he will return to the team for a three-match, ODI series against South Africa in the United Arab Emirates beginning in September. He played in the three-match T20I Series against Ireland, the IPL 2024, the T20 World Cup 2024, the Hundred, the Shpageeza Cricket League, and Major League Cricket.
"Rashid did not experience any injuries and successfully completed his matches. Following Rashid Khan's back operation last year, his doctors advised him to refrain from participating in long-format cricket for one year," said Naseeb Khan, the Chief Executive of the Afghanistan Cricket Board, in media reports.
Afghanistan to play Test match against New Zealand for the first time
The upcoming one-off Test match between Afghanistan and New Zealand will start on September 9 in India. Amidst the ongoing turmoil in Afghanistan, India took the initiative to host the test match. Meanwhile, this is the first time these two nations will engage against each other in a Test series.
Also Read: Why India are hosting Afghanistan vs New Zealand one-off Test? Explained
The growth of Afghanistan from being a T20I nation to a Test-playing nation is quite inspirational. They have evolved to be one of the best cricket-playing nations thanks to players like Rashid Khan and many more. Even during the unrest, players manage to focus on their game, which is a huge thing for any cricketer.