Rahmat Backs Rashid Khan's Test Return — but Only When He Is Fully Fit

Rashid Khan's red-ball future remains on hold, but his captain insists the door is wide open. Speaking on Wednesday ahead of Afghanistan's two-Test series against Zimbabwe in Sharjah, Rahmat Shah said the team's medical staff and physiotherapists have recommended that Rashid not play Test cricket at present because he is still not ready, with workload concerns linked to his back injury. Rahmat stressed he has spoken personally with both Rashid and the Afghanistan Cricket Board, and that the message is straightforward: once the leg-spinner is 100 per cent fit, he will obviously be part of the Test squad. The 27-year-old has been one of world cricket's most feared white-ball bowlers for years, yet his appearances in the longest format have been rare in recent times as back trouble has limited his workload. The timing matters for Afghanistan, who open the series on Thursday, November 5, with the second Test scheduled at the same venue from November 13. For now, the plan is patience rather than a gamble: protect the bowler, let the medical team set the pace, and welcome back one of the game's great match-winners only when his body is ready to handle the demands of five days.