After a lean season, Gujarat Titans’ Rashid Khan eyes course correction

Mumbai: Two defeats, two near-misses and a back that still demands respect have not dimmed Rashid Khan’s conviction that Gujarat Titans can still script a turnaround in IPL-2026. Standing in as captain against Rajasthan Royals while regular skipper Shubman Gill nursed back spasms, the 27-year-old leg-spinner believes the margins are thin and the clock is still on their side.

“Gill didn’t want to take a risk. We still have a long tournament ahead,” Rashid told TOI after the Titans slipped to 0-2. “We’ve lost a couple of very close games — one defending 163, the other chasing 211. We were in the contest both times but didn’t finish well. There are 12 matches left; we’ll take the learnings and come back stronger.”

The Afghanistan T20I captain is equally measured about his own body. Fresh from back surgery in November 2023, Rashid remains non-committal on the one-off Test against India scheduled for June 6-10 in New Chandigarh. Medical advice, he says, was explicit: steer clear of the longest format for two-to-three years if a longer career is the goal.

“In my last Test I bowled 55 overs; for someone coming back from back surgery that’s a big risk,” he explained, referencing his most recent red-ball appearance in January 2025 against Zimbabwe where he claimed 11 wickets. “So we’ll think about the Test match, but I’m definitely looking forward to the ODIs.”

On the IPL front, Rashid’s numbers have dipped since the pandemic years. IPL-2025 yielded nine wickets in 15 outings at 57.11 apiece and an economy rate nudging 9.34. Two matches into the new season, he has two wickets. The Afghan star, however, rejects the notion that injury is blunting his threat.

“It’s not about the injury. Last year I just missed my length and line,” he insisted. “In the last two games I feel I’ve hit 90-95% of the areas I wanted to — that’s a good sign.”

He also flagged the shifting dynamics of IPL tracks. “Two or three years ago no one thought teams would score 300. Now 230-240 is routine. Earlier 180-190 was a good total; now even 220 is hard to defend. The pitches are flatter and spinners aren’t getting the same help, but for me it’s about improving myself.”

With a dozen league fixtures still to play, Rashid maintains the Titans’ campaign is one good session away from ignition. If he can marry renewed accuracy with a fitter back, both Gujarat and Afghanistan might yet reap the rewards.