Summary Rashid could earn an England Test recall to face India if he changes his mind over red-ball cricket.
LEEDS (AFP) - Leg-spinner Adil Rashid could earn an England Test recall to face India if he changes his mind over red-ball cricket, coach Trevor Bayliss said Thursday, with the slow bowler likely to prove a key weapon on wickets baked dry by the country s ongoing heatwave.
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 and probably the best I ve seen him bowl since I ve been here.
"(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 India s 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.
