Star all-rounder Rashid Khan has been ruled out of the three-match Twenty20 International series between Afghanistan and India, which kicks off on Thursday, January 11 at Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali.

Remarkably, Rashid was included in the team even though he was still healing from back surgery.

Ibrahim Zadran will captain the team during the three-match series in his absence.

Rashid will not be playing in the forthcoming series, Zadran told the reporters, but he will be traveling with the squad. He went on to say that his experience is vital to the club and that they will miss having him on the team.

Notably, Rashid has the most number of wickets for Afghanistan in T20Is with 128 wickets to his name from 81 innings at an average of 14.66 and an economy of 6.08. He also missed the Big Bash League 2023-24 and SA20 2024 due to his injury.

Afghanistan’s Squad for the three-match T20I Series against India: Ibrahim Zadran (C), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ikram Alikhil (WK), Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Noor Ahmad, Mohammad Saleem, Qais Ahmad, Gulbadin Naib