Adil Rashid has been recalled to the England Test squad to face India at Edgbaston on Wednesday despite his decision to turn his back on red-ball cricket in February.
The leg-spinner has been in impressive form for England’s limited-overs side but has not played a Test match since facing India in Chennai in December 2016. The 30-year-old’s recall will prove controversial given he walked away from first-class cricket with Yorkshire saying: “It was a decision made purely because of how I felt playing red-ball cricket at this time. My mind’s not there, my heart’s not there.”
He signed a white-ball-only contract with Yorkshire, who were disappointed with that decision, and this summer he has shone for England in one-day cricket, taking 20 wickets at an average of 23.95 in series victories over Australia and India.
Ed Smith, England’s chairman of selectors, said: “Following his decision in February 2018, Adil has a white-ball-only contract to play for Yorkshire this summer. That arrangement is unchanged by his selection for England. However Adil fully understands that if he wishes to be eligible for Test cricket in the 2019 season, he must have a county contract to play four-day cricket. Moving forward, England Test players must be committed to the County Championship.
“Clearly, the one-off circumstances around Adil’s return to the Test squad are unusual. However the selection panel was unanimous in believing that Adil should be selected.”
Quick guide
England squad to face India in first Test
Joe Root (Yorkshire, captain)
Moeen Ali (Worcestershire)
Jimmy Anderson (Lancashire)
Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire, wicketkeeper)
Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire)
Jos Buttler (Lancashire)
Alastair Cook (Essex)
Sam Curran (Surrey)
Keaton Jennings (Lancashire)
Dawid Malan (Middlesex)
Jamie Porter (Essex)
Adil Rashid (Yorkshire)
Ben Stokes (Durham)
Moeen Ali has been recalled to the Test side for the first time since the tour of New Zealand and the Essex seamer Jamie Porter earns his first call-up at Test level after impressing for his county and the England Lions, while Sam Curran stays in the squad. “With his resilience and appetite for wicket-taking, Jamie fully deserves his elevation to the England Test squad,” Smith said. “Sam Curran, also full of form and confidence in Lions and county cricket, retains his place after his promising debut at Headingley.”
There was no place for Chris Woakes, who is still recovering from thigh and knee injuries, with England afraid of rushing him back too soon. The Somerset teammates Dom Bess and Jack Leach miss out but will join the squad for preparations for the Test, which will be England’s 1,000th.
“The selection panel felt that Chris Woakes needed a little more time to regain full form,” Smith said. “Chris will combine playing for Warwickshire in T20s alongside building up red-ball fitness and workload with the England coaches.
“Jack Leach has had an exceptional run of bad luck which now leaves him short of bowling at the start of the series against India. Having broken his thumb before the first Test against Pakistan, Jack then suffered concussion on his return to county cricket. As a result, Jack has bowled only 37 overs in county or Lions cricket since first being injured. The selection panel felt it was too early for Jack to play in a Test match.
“Dom made an outstanding all-round contribution in his debut series against Pakistan and impressed everyone with his character and competitiveness. For different reasons, unfortunately Dom has also found opportunities scarce in championship cricket.”