New Delhi: Rashid Khan believes he has finally regained the rhythm that eluded him following his back surgery in 2023.
An undisputed great of the shortest format, Rashid went through a horror last season when he took just nine wickets in 15 games for Gujarat Titans. This was after an equally underwhelming 2024 run during which he struggled for rhythm post the surgery.
Also Read: IPL 2026 points table latest: Gujarat Titans stun Delhi Capitals in last-ball epic, shake up IPL points table with first victory
He had to fight demons in his mind too. The constant thought being what if he pushes it too hard and ends up hurting his back again?
With a standout performance on Wednesday night against Delhi Capitals, Rashid made a loud statement. He challenged edges on both sides and took three timely wickets of Nitish Rana, Sameer Rizvi and opposition skipper Axar Patel to bring his team back into the contest that it eventually won by a solitary run.
The googly to DC's in-form batter Rizvi gave most satisfaction to Rashid, who ended with envious figures of three for 17 in four overs in a game in which both teams crossed the 200-run mark.
In a media interaction post the one run win over Delhi Captials, Rashid was expectedly asked about the dismal last season and the work he put in to get back to his best.
"Yaad mat dilao yaar, bohot bura season tha (2025) (Please don't remind of it, it was a very bad season). But if you have a bad season, it doesn't mean you are gone...It's just about your line and length," Rashid said after his team's one-run win here.
"I feel like that's something which I missed it last year. And this year I was just focusing on not to think a lot," he admitted.
"...it's a fresh year and I gave myself a couple of months after the last IPL, focused on my fitness. I felt like I was struggling a little bit with my back after surgery. And I think when I had three good months, I had a good The Hundred in UK.
"But more importantly, I try my best to just work on my fitness and work on my core. That does allow my body to bowl with the full rhythm," added Rashid.
The Afghan superstar is someone who doesn't believe in adding a lot of variations. If bowled correctly, he believes the googly, the flipper, and the leg break are enough to keep the batters guessing.
"Bhai, kya badaoege aur (What more can you add)? I bowl consistently, either I bowl left spin, wrong one, flipper. But hitting the right areas, that's challenging for me. And everyday I'm trying my best to improve and do better," said the iconic all-rounder.
Also Read: IPL 2026: You cannot fault David Miller's intent, says Sunil Gavaskar as he defends DC batter
Rashid had pushed his body to the limit to play the 2023 ODI World Cup, ignoring the doctor's advice. He struggled to even walk after the ICC event in India and eventually went under the knife. It is precisely for this reason that he was cautious on return.
"After surgery, when I came back, I was very, very careful with my back. And that, I think, affected my bowling action and release and everything. So, I was trying to be careful," he said.
"I missed little bit of my rhythm. You know, I was trying to be slow, for two-three months, four months.
"And what was not allowing me (to push harder) was, a bit of pain in the back. I was scared, what's gonna happen if I push it again. So, yeah, just to work on my core. And I tried my best to make it as strong as possible. And then, you know, just to go on with the full energy," he recollected.
Not hopeful of red ball future
He is fit to bowl again but Rashid said it would be difficult to play Test cricket going forward.
"Red ball is something which looks a bit difficult for me to keep in. Yes, one test in a year, I will take that, but I don't think so more than that I can play," he said.
An undisputed great of the shortest format, Rashid went through a horror last season when he took just nine wickets in 15 games for Gujarat Titans. This was after an equally underwhelming 2024 run during which he struggled for rhythm post the surgery.
Also Read: IPL 2026 points table latest: Gujarat Titans stun Delhi Capitals in last-ball epic, shake up IPL points table with first victory
He had to fight demons in his mind too. The constant thought being what if he pushes it too hard and ends up hurting his back again?
With a standout performance on Wednesday night against Delhi Capitals, Rashid made a loud statement. He challenged edges on both sides and took three timely wickets of Nitish Rana, Sameer Rizvi and opposition skipper Axar Patel to bring his team back into the contest that it eventually won by a solitary run.
The googly to DC's in-form batter Rizvi gave most satisfaction to Rashid, who ended with envious figures of three for 17 in four overs in a game in which both teams crossed the 200-run mark.
In a media interaction post the one run win over Delhi Captials, Rashid was expectedly asked about the dismal last season and the work he put in to get back to his best.
"Yaad mat dilao yaar, bohot bura season tha (2025) (Please don't remind of it, it was a very bad season). But if you have a bad season, it doesn't mean you are gone...It's just about your line and length," Rashid said after his team's one-run win here.
"I feel like that's something which I missed it last year. And this year I was just focusing on not to think a lot," he admitted.
"...it's a fresh year and I gave myself a couple of months after the last IPL, focused on my fitness. I felt like I was struggling a little bit with my back after surgery. And I think when I had three good months, I had a good The Hundred in UK.
"But more importantly, I try my best to just work on my fitness and work on my core. That does allow my body to bowl with the full rhythm," added Rashid.
The Afghan superstar is someone who doesn't believe in adding a lot of variations. If bowled correctly, he believes the googly, the flipper, and the leg break are enough to keep the batters guessing.
"Bhai, kya badaoege aur (What more can you add)? I bowl consistently, either I bowl left spin, wrong one, flipper. But hitting the right areas, that's challenging for me. And everyday I'm trying my best to improve and do better," said the iconic all-rounder.
Also Read: IPL 2026: You cannot fault David Miller's intent, says Sunil Gavaskar as he defends DC batter
Rashid had pushed his body to the limit to play the 2023 ODI World Cup, ignoring the doctor's advice. He struggled to even walk after the ICC event in India and eventually went under the knife. It is precisely for this reason that he was cautious on return.
"After surgery, when I came back, I was very, very careful with my back. And that, I think, affected my bowling action and release and everything. So, I was trying to be careful," he said.
"I missed little bit of my rhythm. You know, I was trying to be slow, for two-three months, four months.
"And what was not allowing me (to push harder) was, a bit of pain in the back. I was scared, what's gonna happen if I push it again. So, yeah, just to work on my core. And I tried my best to make it as strong as possible. And then, you know, just to go on with the full energy," he recollected.
Not hopeful of red ball future
He is fit to bowl again but Rashid said it would be difficult to play Test cricket going forward.
"Red ball is something which looks a bit difficult for me to keep in. Yes, one test in a year, I will take that, but I don't think so more than that I can play," he said.
