Why is Rashid Khan not playing today’s IND vs AFG T20I?

Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan was a notable absence during the build-up to the three-match T20I series against India. He will apparently miss the entirety of the series as confirmed by stand-in skipper Ibrahim Zadran during the pre-match press conference in Mohali.

Rashid traveled with the team but is far from being match-fit after recently undergoing back surgery. His last competitive appearance came during the 2023 ODI World Cup, where Afghanistan finished sixth.

The surgery ruled Rashid out of the 2023-24 Big Bash League (BBL) as well as the second season of the SA20 for the Adelaide Strikers and the MI Cape Town, respectively. In his absence, Kieron Pollard will lead the franchise in SA20 2024.

"He is not totally fit, but is travelling with the team. We hope that he gets fit as soon as we expect him to. He's doing his rehab with the doctor, and we will miss him in the series," Ibrahim Zadran said.

"Without Rashid, we will struggle but not that much because his experience is very important for all of us, but this is cricket and you should be ready for any kind of situation," he added.

Afghanistan have been put into bat first by Team India in the first T20I at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali on Thursday, January 11.

The visitors have not gone spin-heavy, contrary to the hosts, with Mujeeb-ur-Rahman and Mohammad Nabi being the spin-bowling options in the playing XI.

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"I believe, with Rashid out of the side, it’s a good opportunity for other players to come in and step up" - Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott

Rashid Khan, surprisingly, has a very poor record against India and the upcoming three-match T20I series would have proven to be an excellent opportunity to rectify the numbers. He has made two T20I appearances against the Men in India in his career so far, in the 2021 T20 World Cup and the 2022 Asia Cup.

Rashid ended up wicketless in both matches held in the United Arab Emirates with a subpar economy rate of 8.63.

"I believe, with Rashid out of the side, it’s a good opportunity for other players to come in and step up and become household names like he is. Obviously, we are going to miss a player like Rashid, his leadership and the overall package he brings to the side. But it’ll be good to see who is going to stand up and take responsibility and pressure, just a couple of months after the World Cup," Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott said ahead of the series opener.

Will Rashid Khan prove to be a huge miss for the visitors in the T20I series? Let us know what you think.