Adil Rashid considers white-ball specialism after uncertain Test future
Adil Rashid is contemplating to return back to white-ball specialism after seeing Jack Leach being favoured over him in Tests. Ashley Giles is set to reveal the list of centrally contracted players for the 2019-20 season on Friday and Rashid expected to feature only among the white‑ball cricketers.
Rashid has not featured for Yorkshire or England since the euphoric night of the World Cup final in July thanks to his chronic right shoulder injury that required painkilling injections to nurse him throughout the victorious campaign. While that saw Jack Leach making his way to the English Test squad, with Moeen Ali sitting out due to bad form, Rashid is not sure if he can ever make a comeback to the Test side.
With England's Director of Cricket, Ashley Giles, set to announce the list of centrally contracted players for the 2019-20 season on Friday, Rashid contemplates to go back to the white-ball specialism - a format that has made him one of the most prolific wicket-taker in ODI cricket in the last four years.
“I would love to [get another Test deal] but I don’t know what their vision is for me. I thought I did OK in the games I played but we got smashed by West Indies in the first Test in January and I haven’t played since," Guardian reported Rashid as saying.
“If I don’t get one, I need to decide what to do next. Is it focusing on white-ball cricket again? With the injury, I do need to think about my longevity. Whatever happens, I’ll always be thankful to Ed Smith [the national selector] and Joe Root [the Test captain] and the coaches for giving me the chance.”
While pain-killing injections kept him active in the World Cup, his injury was more serious than some have made out. He tried to return in the T20 Blast in August, but an impingement in the joint and ligament damage meant two more months of rest were prescribed in order to be ready for the winter tours. However, some called it as an excuse not to turn for the club in the T20 Blast.
“I was upset about that. The way it was phrased meant some people could perceive it as me not wanting to play for the club. But that’s not true. I was really looking forward to the T20s," Rashid said.
“I could barely lift my arm – it was that bad. The bone was rubbing in the socket and there are tears in there too. The England doctors confirmed the injury. And I couldn’t have any more injections. I have just got to do it the hard way, which is two months of rest.”
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