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  • Rashid could get England call to face India

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    Rashid File Photo Rashid

    Rashid could earn an England Test recall to face India if he changes his mind over red-ball cricket.

    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.