Image Credit- AFP
Due to his ongoing recuperation following back surgery
last November, Rashid Khan was left off of Afghanistan’s 16-man roster for
their forthcoming one-off Test match against Sri Lanka, which is scheduled to
begin on February 2.
Legspinner Qais Ahmad gained the upper hand due to
Rashid’s unavailability, despite the fact that Ahmad’s only Test match was in
September 2019. For the Test match against Sri Lanka in Colombo, Afghanistan
has also selected four uncapped players: right-arm medium-pace bowler Naveed
Zadran, left-arm spinner Zia-ur-Rehman, wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Ishaq, and
batter Noor Ali Zadran.
Noor, who is Mujeeb Ur Rahman’s uncle, has played in
51 ODIs and 23 T20Is since making his debut in 2009. He is the most seasoned of
the newcomers. On the other hand, Zia has an impressive first-class bowling
record, having taken 159 wickets at an average of 19.1 in 28 games. He might
potentially be a useful lower-order contributor, as seen by his 16.58
first-class match batting average.
Regarding Qais, his last assignment for Afghanistan
was to play in the third Twenty20 International match against India earlier
this month. However, since making his Test debut, he hasn’t participated in a
first-class competition. In just seven first-class matches, eighteen-year-old
Naveed—who also received his first call-up to the Test team—has claimed 35
wickets, including three five-wicket hauls.
When Afghanistan last competed in a Test match, they
were defeated by Bangladesh in Dhaka by an overwhelming 546 runs in June 2023.
They have excluded all-rounders Karim Janat and Amir Hamza from that visit for
the Test match against Sri Lanka. They still have the same batting lineup,
which comprises Rahmat Shah, Abdul Malik, Ibrahim Zadran, and captain
Hashmatullah Shahidi.
Afghanistan has not yet faced Sri Lanka in the format,
having just played seven Tests since their debut in 2018. In addition to the
one Test match, each of their three ODIs and T20Is in Sri Lanka are scheduled.