Rashid Khan has returned to the Afghanistan squad for the upcoming three T20Is beginning from January 11 in Mohali, but is doubtful to play a part in the series.

The ace leg-spinner had undergone a lower-back surgery in the United Kingdom in November following Afghanistan’s ODI World Cup campaign. He skipped this season’s Big Bash League for Adelaide Strikers as well as the national team’s recent tour of the United Arab Emirates.

It does take a fair amount of time to recover completely from a lower-back injury, which has made it a tad tougher for Rashid in terms of making a quick comeback to the field. In spite of Rashid’s presence in the 19-member squad, Ibrahim Zadran, who had
led Afghanistan in the matches against the UAE, will be contuining as captain for the India T20Is.

This itself is an indication that Rashid, who’s Afghanistan’s regular T20I skipper, is unlikely to feature in the XI.

“Rashid was there in the UAE as well, watching those games from the stands. He
was a part of the four reserves of Afghanistan during the UAE tour.

“So, for this India tour also, he appears doubtful for a place in the XI. Maybe one can see him in one of the three games, but that too, only if he resumes full-throttle training,” an Afghanistan Cricket Board source told The Telegraph on Saturday.

“Now, since he is the regular captain of the side in T20Is and that Afghanistan don’t have too many games left to play before the T20 World Cup (beginning in June), Rashid wants to have a look at the players and how they are shaping up.”

Afghanistan travel to Sri Lanka next for three T20Is followed by as many ODIs which begin from January 23. Rashid may miss that series as well, the source added.

“He could skip the SA20 (for MI Cape Town) as well. It may so happen that he waits till the IPL begins (in March), which should help in his preparation for the T20 World Cup.”Rashid has been retained by the Gujarat Titans.

Off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman has also made a comeback in the side after
he wasn’t included for the UAE T20Is.