I’m done with Red-Ball Cricket-Engeland’s Adil Rashid arranges Ashes Return Return

Adil Rashid says that this winter he would reject an Ashes invitation from England and would not return to the test phase not after seven years.

Rashid was published his last test in January 2019 and has not played a first-class game since then, instead aimed at cricket with white ball.

But the 37-year-old leg spinner has never formally announced his test retirement, which leads to speculation that one day he could return to the longer size of the game.

Colleague spinner Meeen Ali answered the call of Captain Ben Stokes in 2023 and ended his retirement test after 18 months before the Ashes struggle with Australia on home floor.

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Rounded

Asked on Tuesday, prior to the T20 series of England against South Africa, he would say that Stokes would make the same call this winter, Rashid said: “It would be a no. I think I am quite comfortable and confident what I have done in the last seven years.

“I’m done with Red-Ball Cricket, so in that sense I have no confidence in my own game.

“I am sure it would not even come that way, because the spinners who are coming through are very good.

“If they go there, they will do good performance, and I am convinced that they have sorted the spinners.”

Rashid made his 300th performance for England in all sizes during the recent ODI series against South Africa, who lost England 2-1.

He celebrates his 38th birthday in February, the same month as the T20 World Cup starts in India and Sri Lanka, and wants to extend his career for as long as possible.

Age factor

Rashid said: “You take the game per game, series for series. But you clearly have that in mind of the age factor that turns 40 and 41.

“Who knows what can happen in two years, or three, four, five years’ time? You do your best, let things unfold and let nature go its own way.

“Personally, I want to play cricket for as long as possible, as long as the body can hold on and perform at a certain level.

“Hopefully I can continue that, as long as I move fit and good, I will do my best.”

The Drie-Match series against South Africa, which starts in Cardiff on Wednesday and ends with Old Trafford and Trent Bridge, speeds up the planning from England to the T20 World Cup in five months.

England will go to Ireland later this month before playing a series of three games away to New Zealand in October.

Important

A series of three games against Sri Lanka takes place before the World Cup starts.

Rashid said: “Every series we play is important, regardless of whether it is six months or two years from a World Cup.

“As a team it is not about issuing an explanation for others to see, it is important what we do as a team.

“It is about ensuring that we are faithful to our own self-cricket-based bowing bowling, fielding. Thinking of your own game and setting up a show.”

Sam Curran starts the T20 opener against South Africa, the first time that the all-rounder will appear under head coach Brendon McCullum.

The last performance of Curran was in November 2024, but the 27-year-old earned a late call-up for the team after shining one hundred winners Ovale Invincibles.

England XI: Phil Salt, Jos Butler (World Championship), Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook (Capt), Sam Curran, Tom Banton, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid.

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