Afghanistan’s talismanic legspinner Rashid Khan is having to maintain balance between fitness and national duty as he continues to manage his workload in the longest format of the game. Rashid, who leads Afghanistan in T20Is, remains one of the most decorated stars of the team. However, he is likely to play a few Test matches in the coming times. His involvement in Test cricket has been majorly limited over the past few years following a serious back injury in 2023. 

Following the medical advice, Rashid has adopted a cautious approach. In 2025, he made his lone Test appearance in a match against Zimbabwe in January. Notably, Afghanistan are set to feature in a high-profile Test against India, and there have been tentative hopes that he might play that match.

"Red-ball cricket is a little difficult because that was the first thing my doctor told me: 'Stay away from red-ball cricket. I still went ahead and played. After the surgery, I played a game against Zimbabwe and bowled 67 overs, which was crazy. The doctor told me, 'If you don't want to play cricket, you can keep playing red-ball cricket. He said it's not going to help me and that I won't be able to play for long," Rashid Khan said while addressing the press. 

However, Rashid emphasised that he will continue playing ODIs and prepare himself for the World Cup, which is scheduled to be played next year. 

"So yes, I will think about it. But ODI cricket, I really enjoy that format. I am in good shape to play ODIs for a longer period for Afghanistan. However, I want to be careful about how much I play and not put too much load on myself if I want to have a longer career. In my last two Test matches, I bowled 126 overs, which is simply too much. I will take it easy and prepare myself for the World Cup. Imagine if something happens to my back during a Test match, I can't play 100 Tests. There is no specific target for me in Test cricket," he said.