It was during that game that he experienced pain in his back, and was thus forced to miss SGT’s next match two days later.

Rashid had also gone through a back injury and subsequent surgery just after the World Cup in India in October-November last year. That had ruled him out of all cricket for four months, before he returned to action in a T20I series against Ireland this March. And a week before his recent back trouble, Rashid suffered a hamstring strain while representing Trent Rockets at the Hundred, and thus missed Rockets’ last two games.

Afghanistan have begun training in Noida, their adopted home ground, for the Test against New Zealand, which will be the first time that the two teams will be facing each other in the format. This will also be the first Test to be played at the Greater Noida sports Complex Ground.