Rashid Khan's Return to Afghanistan Squad Amidst Recovery and Rest Speculations

Rashid Khan is expected to be rested from the series but has rejoined the Afghanistan team for the next three Twenty20 Internationals, which start in Mohali on January 11.

The brilliant leg-spinner had had lower back surgery in the UK in November, having returned from Afghanistan's ODI World Cup campaign. He did not participate in the Big Bash League with Adelaide Strikers this season, nor did he travel to the United Arab Emirates with the national squad recently.

The full recovery from a lower-back injury takes some time, therefore Rashid's chances of returning to the field quickly have been slightly reduced. Ibrahim Zadran, who had captained Afghanistan in the matches against the UAE, would continue as captain for the India T20Is despite Rashid being part of the 19-man roster.

The fact that Rashid is Afghanistan's regular T20I captain suggests that he won't be starting in the starting eleven.

"Rashid was also in the UAE, observing the matches from the grandstands. During the UAE tour, he was one of Afghanistan's four reserves.

Therefore, it seems unlikely that he would make the starting XI for this India tour as well. Perhaps he will play in one of the three games, but only if he gets back to full training, a source from the Afghanistan Cricket Board told The Telegraph on Saturday.

"Now that he is the team's regular captain in Twenty20 Internationals and Afghanistan has a short window of games remaining before the T20 World Cup (which starts in June), Rashid wants to see how the players are developing."

After three Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) against Sri Lanka, Afghanistan will play as many ODIs starting on January 23. The insider went on to say Rashid might miss that series as well.

He might also forego the SA20 for MI Cape Town. He might decide to hold off until the start of the Indian Premier League in March, which would aid in his T20 World Cup preparation.The Gujarat Titans have decided to keep Rashid around.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman, an off-spinner, has also returned to the team after being left out of the UAE T20I squad.

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