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The Afghanistan cricket team is all set to play a one-off Test against New Zealand from September 9-13 in Greater Noida. The Afghan side started their one-week preparatory camp at the Noida Sports Complex, but according to a report by The Indian Express, the start of their practice was far from ideal. Heavy rain in the Delhi NCR on Thursday meant that the Afghans had a hard time in training properly.
The report said that the practice pitch was flooded and the ground staff used two table fans to dry the ground. The report further mentioned that there are no super-soppers or covers to protect the 30-yard circle. In fact, Afghanistan bowling coach Hamid Hasan had trouble finding a 10-yard spot with less dampness.
Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi took a sly dig at the facilities. "Boys, we should have brought our swim gear. No way we are going to play here. Good place to swim," Shahidi was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.
The captain then told the officials and said in Hindi: “Sir hum logo ko aadat hai, but New Zealand waalon ko kya jawaab doge (We have trained in much poorer conditions, but what would you say to the New Zealand team management.”
Meanwhile, Afghanistan cricket's poster boy Rashid Khan will not play the Test format in the near future to nurse his back after having undergone a surgery last year. A source in the Afghanistan Cricket Board told PTI that Rashid and the team management had decided mutually on his break from the longest format considering his back issues.
Earlier this week, he was not named in the preliminary squad for the one-off Test against New Zealand in Greater Noida on September 9.
Rashid was out of action for four months after undergoing back surgery following the ODI World Cup in India in October-November. He was part of the more recent T20 World Cup in the USA and Caribbean where he captained Afghanistan to the semifinals.
The 25-year-old recently played three games in as many days in the Shpageeza T20 league in Kabul, taking six wickets in total.
"The plan for Rashid after the surgery was to gradually increase his workload. Not playing the longer format for the next six months to one year was also part of the plan.
"In Tests, he would be required to keep bowling from one end and his back is not ready for that kind of workload. He should be available for the ODI series against South Africa next month," the source said.
Rashid has played five Tests, 103 ODIs, and 93 T20Is for Afghanistan, who hardly get to play the five-day game against top teams like New Zealand.