Rashid could get England call to face India
The slow bowler can prove to be a key weapon on wickets baked dry by the country's ongoing heatwave.
Published : Jul 19, 2018 23:47 IST
Leg-spinner Adil Rashid could earn an England Test recall to face India if he changes his mind over Test cricket, coach Trevor Bayliss said on Thursday.
The 30-year-old has not played five-day cricket since December 2016 when he played the last of his 10 Tests, preferring to compete only in 50-over and 20-over formats.
Asked whether Rashid would be considered for Test selection if he was playing red-ball cricket, Bayliss said: “Possibly. This year is probably the best we've seen him bowl.
“He's bowled well in one-day cricket over the last few years but his control and his consistency this year has been top class.
“(Reconsidering) is a decision he's got to make. I'm not sure whether (national selector) Ed Smith's had a chat with him or not. Could he get picked in the Test team on white-ball form? Well, it's already been proven this year - it's happened once (with Jos Buttler). So I'm sure he'll be up for discussion, definitely.”
Rashid is the leading wicket-taker in one-day and Twenty20 internationals for England this summer, with 25 victims, including Virat Kohli at Headingley on Tuesday with a sharply-turning delivery that left the Indian captain awestruck.
Rashid's performances have been delivered at a time when England are short of spin options in the five-day arena too. Moeen Ali lost his place following a difficult winter and Dom Bess and Jack Leach have been handed debuts since.