Rashid Khan Injury Update: When Will Afghanistan & Gujarat Titans Spinner Return To Action?

Rashid Khan Injury Update: The premier spinner has been sidelined since the completion of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023, missing matches for Afghanistan against UAE and India. He also withdrew from the Big Bash League and is yet to appear in the SA20.

The 25-year-old Rashid, who has travelled to India with the national team, underwent a back surgery in November last year and is still in the process of recovery. The leg spinner is currently doing light training with the national team.

In December 2023, Rashid pulled out of BBL 13, where he represents Adelaide Strikers, and in SA20 season 2, he is the captain of MI Cape Town, but has not been available for the franchise.

With preparations for the T20 World Cup 2024 hotting up and IPL 2024 fast approaching, Afghanistan and Gujarat Titans will be keen to see the return of the star spinner soon.

Afghanistan head coach Jonathan Trott gave an update on when the leg spinner could return to the field ahead of the final T20I against India in Bengaluru. Trott stated that there is no "time frame" on Rashid' much-awaited return.

"It is a case of us making sure that we are really careful with his back. He is such an influential player, we have to make sure he is 100 per cent ready and not rush him back from that type of surgery. It is important to give him the right time and he is working extremely hard and he is here with the team," Trott was quoted as saying by Cricinfo.

"He is very passionate and dedicated to the Afghan national side. When he is ready, he will be the first one to get on the field. He has got a few more appointments and check-ups to make sure everything is okay. So there is no real time frame. I hope it is sooner rather than later. But there is no pressure and no rush," Trott added.

After the India series, Afghanistan will tour Sri Lanka for an all-format series followed by a tour to UAE where they will host Ireland for a similar kind of series.

Afghanistan will face Sri Lanka and Ireland in One-off Tests followed by three ODIs and three T20Is. The six T20Is will be Afghanistan last chance to prepare for the T20 World Cup in June. However, a few players like Rashid could also use IPL as a platform for preparation.

Will Rashid Khan be available for Gujarat Titans in IPL 2024?

With two months left for the IPL 2024 to kick off and some national team assignments before that, Rashid, who has already been doing light practice is likely to be fit and available for Gujarat Titans in IPL 2024.

Titans will hope the spinner is fit and ready for the start of the season as they are already without former captain Hardik Pandya, who was traded in by Mumbai Indians ahead of the IPL auction 2024. So, Rashid becomes even more an important player for the Titans.