Afghanistan’s star cricketer Rashid Khan, known for his exceptional spin bowling, will be stepping away from Test cricket for the foreseeable future as he continues to recover from a back surgery he underwent last year. Sources within the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed that the decision was a mutual agreement between Rashid and the team management, prioritising his long-term health and career.

Rashid’s absence from the longest format of the game is a significant blow for Afghanistan, given his standing as the country's leading wickettaker in Tests. The 25-year-old bowler has claimed 34 wickets in just five Test matches, showcasing his prowess in red-ball cricket. However, after his surgery during the ODI World Cup in India last October and November, doctors advised Rashid to carefully manage his workload to ensure a full recovery.

After recovering from surgery for four months, the ace spinner made a comeback in the T20 format, leading Afghanistan to the semifinals of the recent T20 World Cup in the USA and the Caribbean. More recently, Rashid featured in the Shpageeza T20 League in Kabul, where he demonstrated his fitness and form by taking six wickets across three consecutive games.

A source close to the Afghanistan Cricket Board elaborated on the decision to limit Rashid's participation in Test matches, stating "After the surgery, Rashid was supposed to gradually increase his workload. Another aspect of the idea was to not play the longer format for the next six months to a year.

“In Tests, he would be required to keep bowling from one end and his back is not ready for that kind of workload. He should be available for the ODI series against South Africa next month,” the source said.