"75-80 per cent there": Rashid Khan opens up about his underwhelming IPL 2025 campaign

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 6 (ANI): Gujarat Titans premier spinner Rashid Khan feels he is operating at 75 to 80 per cent and is slowly getting back to his best after his clinical display against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday in the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League.
Rashid underwent back surgery after the ODI World Cup 2023 and returned to on-field action in May 2024. Since then, he has been struggling to find his lost rhythm. It has been a scratchy campaign for the 26-year-old, with eight wickets from 11 fixtures.
He showed signs of bowling with his usual mojo in the ongoing edition and dazzled against the high-flying MI. Rashid returned with figures of 1/21 after bowling his full quota of four overs.
The Afghanistan ball tweaker contained Will Jacks (53) with his tight lines and eventually brought an end to his belligerent knock by luring him to hole it to Sai Sudharsan.
"I have missed my lengths (earlier in this tournament), and made sure to hit the right areas. You are not in your best rhythm during rehab (after 3-4 months of the surgery), it takes time to get back to your best. I am getting there slowly, 75-80 per cent there. I need to make sure that I get that surgery out of my mind," Rashid told broadcasters after the first innings.
Rashid was quick to praise his compatriot spinner Sai Kishore for his splendid spell against the five-time champions. He scythed priceless scalps of dynamic Suryakumar Yadav and skipper Hardik Pandya to derail Mumbai's hopes of scripting a comeback story.
"You need to hit the right areas as a spinner. The way Sai bowled his spell and took two wickets. It was good," he added.
With a clinical bowling attack, Gujarat was able to contain the hosts to 155/8, despite a late 27-run onslaught from Corbin Bosch. (ANI)