Rashid Khan, the Gujarat Titans’ (GT) star spinner, spoke up on Wednesday about requiring back surgery after the ICC Cricket World Cup last year, as well as the difficulties he had as a result of playing the tournament at low fitness levels. Following Afghanistan’s sixth-place performance in the 2023 Cricket World Cup in India, Rashid took a break from the game to have back surgery before returning to play during a T20I series against Ireland in March. He now plays for the Gujarat Titans (GT) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he has eight wickets and 102 runs at an average of 20.40.
Rashid told ESPNCricinfo’s The Cricket Monthly that he was supposed to have surgery before the World Cup, but he postponed it in order to represent his nation in the event. He opted to have a few injections before the competition.
“Even before the World Cup, the doctor informed me I needed surgery, but I put off the choice because I wanted to compete in the competition. He advised me that if I played, the back condition would worsen, especially because it was 50 overs, and my workload would be greatly increased because I would play at least nine ODIs. He believed I would require extensive surgery. But I told him I needed to play in the World Cup. I can’t say no to the World Cup. So we agreed I’d have a few of injections before the competition,” Rashid explained.
Rashid stated that after their great win against Pakistan, he rejoiced and danced all night and did not act like he had a back trouble.
“Our physiotherapist constantly warning me to be careful. The entire Afghanistan team was startled to see me dancing and cheering; they had never seen me in that attitude before. “That happiness was different because that jashn was throughout the country [Afghanistan],” he explained.
However, when he awoke the next day, he was in excruciating agony and spent the rest of the tournament on painkillers and in poor shape. “I informed the physiotherapist that I couldn’t walk correctly. He simply gave me this harsh glare. I used medications to keep going, but in the last three World Cup matches, I was really playing at 40% health,” he stated.
Rashid stated that his back difficulties were causing him significant discomfort while bending, which was spreading to his shins. “I couldn’t sleep. I would sometimes sleep until four or five a.m. “The only way I could sleep was to take sleeping pills and painkillers,” he explained.He explained that his hamstrings were painful during his team’s final three World Cup games, requiring him to slide rather than walk.
“I couldn’t lift my feet correctly. I started eating all my meals in my room. By the last match, the coach had told me I didn’t need to play, but I claimed I’d manage with pills. Because after I was warmed up, I no longer felt uncomfortable. I could sprint, dive, and so on. But after the game, for almost an hour, I couldn’t move,” he explained.
Rashid stated that after the competition, he chose to have surgery. “The doctor remarked to me, “This is your first MRI, and this is your second MRI, after the World Cup, so you see how much wider the disc bulge has gotten.” I was nervous, to be honest. “It was my first surgery in my career,” he explained.
The spinner claimed that his doctor informed him that a bad surgery may be the end of his playing career, which made him nervous. “I had to sign that undertaking. I was quite stressed the night before the procedure. “I didn’t tell my family that I was having surgery,” he explained.
Rashid stated that the whole GT staff, including head coach Ashish Nehra, director of cricket Vikram Solanki, and assistant coach Naeem Amin, were extremely supportive of him during the operation. He also stated that he was pain-free after the surgery, but he wanted to go back to the game immediately.
“Ashish bhai, who had undergone several operations, spoke to me frequently and assured me not to worry. I had no discomfort after the procedure. I felt quite relieved. However, the most difficult aspect was the rehabilitation. I desperately wanted to return to playing and was missing it. In reality, I was part of the Afghanistan team for the T20 series in India in January of this year.
Rashid claimed that during the last T20I against India, which included two extra overs, he intuitively became ready to bat despite not being in the eleventh position.
“When I finally started playing again, it was one of the nicest experiences to be back on the field. I am grateful to Naeem for his assistance throughout my rehabilitation in the United Kingdom, where I spent over two months. He would arrive early every day at 5-6 a.m. and remain late to assist with my rehabilitation,” he said.
Rashid revealed that the operation had an impact on his bowling as well, such as when he was bowling his wrong’un since he needed to utilize his back more and was scared if he felt any stiffness in his back.
“That feeling lasted through the series against Ireland, which Afghanistan played before the IPL, and then, like I said, the first few matches here (the IPL),” he stated.
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The spinner discussed his dilemma with the franchise’s video analyst, Sandeep Raju, who informed him that he was not hitting his lengths as well as he had previously.
“He also pointed out that my wrong’un was terminating on the leg stump rather than the center. That’s when I informed him I didn’t have the feeling since I wasn’t utilizing my entire body. I am merely using my fingertips. There was nothing wrong with my back, but I was mainly concerned about the possibility of the injury recurring.
“Then, two days before the IPL match in Lucknow, I promised him [Raju] I’d do some spot bowling, which I did for an hour. I could have bowled 14-15 overs in that session without straining my back. I bowled again the next day, on the eve of the match. “That’s when I felt everything was fine,” he said.
