Rashid Khan not ready for Tests, Afghanistan captain says
Rahmat Shah said Afghanistan's medical staff have advised against rushing back the leg-spinner, who remains in the team's Test plans.
Leg-spinner Rashid Khan is not yet ready for Test cricket, Afghanistan Test captain Rahmat Shah said on Thursday, International Cricket Council (ICC) said in a statement.
Rashid has played just six Tests, compared with more than 245 appearances in white-ball formats, and has been unavailable for the longer format recently because of concerns over his back injury and workload.
Shah said the team's medical staff and physiotherapists had recommended that Rashid not play Tests at the moment.
"He is still not ready," Shah said.
Shah said the team would not risk losing Rashid for white-ball cricket, where he is a key figure, and that he would not take a risk on Test selection based on medical reports.
He said Test cricket would place a heavy burden on Rashid, as a bowler in a Test can bowl far more overs than in a three-hour T20 match, and his past back problems meant his workload had to be managed closely.
Shah said he had held personal discussions with Rashid and the Afghanistan Cricket Board, and that Rashid would join the Test squad once he was fully fit.
Afghanistan play a two-match Test series against Zimbabwe, with the first match starting Nov. 5 in Sharjah and the second scheduled to begin Nov. 13 at the same venue.
Afghanistan drew their previous Test against Bangladesh last month after a resilient effort on the final day.
