Rashid surprised at first Test recall
LONDON: England dramatically recalled Adil Rashid to their 13-man squad announced Thursday for next week’s first Test against India in Edgbaston, beginning August 1, even though the Yorkshire leg-spinner has opted out of playing first-class County Championship cricket this season. Rashid is now in line to play his first home Test, after all 10 of his previous appearances were made overseas. “It was definitely a tough decision -- and yes, obviously, I was kind of surprised,” Rashid later told Sky Sports News. “To get back in the Test side, usually people have got to go back to their counties and perform to be considered.
Rashid’s selection in a squad for what will be England’s 1,000th Test when they face India in the first of a five-match series at Edgbaston, comes despite him deciding to opt out of all first-class cricket this year ahead of a home World Cup campaign in 2019. An England statement stressed Rashid, 30, was committed to Test cricket.
“Before the selection meeting, Adil had confirmed his availability to play Test cricket for England for whole of this summer and the upcoming winter tours to Sri Lanka and West Indies.”
ONE-OFF DECISION
National selector and former England batsman Ed Smith added Rashid would also have to commit to playing red-ball cricket if he wanted a long-term Test future. “Following his earlier decision in February 2018, Adil has a white-ball only contract to play for Yorkshire this summer,” he insisted. “That arrangement is unchanged by his selection for England. Moving forward, England Test players must be committed to the county championship. Clearly, the oneoff circumstances around Adil’s return to the Test squad are unusual. However, the selection panel was unanimous in believing that Adil should be selected in England’s squad.”
RIDICULOUS: VAUGHAN
Former captain Michael Vaughan has labelled the recall as “ridiculous”. “So we have picked someone who cannot be arsed with 4 day cricket for the Test Team ... Forget whether he is good enough or not I find this decision ridiculous ... !!!”,” Vaughan told his Twitter followers.