Adil Rashid on his desire to still be the best and wants to help with rebuilding England’s white-ball dynasty.
Adil Rashid on his hunger and helping to rebuild the England white-ball side.
Rashid continued to be England’s top legspinner in the ODI and T20I teams that will host the West Indies starting on May 29.
The series, which begins with three ODIs, will mark Harry Brook’s debut as white-ball captain and give England a chance to snap a seven-game losing streak in the format. They have lost four of their last five T20Is and nine of their last ten, including a Champions Trophy campaign in which they have not won.
“I’m trying to go as long as I can if the body allows, but also form, making sure that I try my best and giving myself the best chance,” Rashid said. “I’ve still got the hunger to become the best and try my best and not just for myself, but from a team point of view, to win World Cups for the team and try to become the best team we can. That’s what drives me at the moment.”
Rashid took seven ODI wickets at 27.28, one more than Ravindra Jadeja and Harshit Rana, during England’s tour of India prior to the Champions Trophy. Even though India won 4-1, his vital numbers of 4-0-15-1 in the third Twenty20 International kept the series alive.
Speaking as part of the Net Gains program at a London suburban ground, Rashid credited his decision to give up red-ball cricket in 2018 with extending his life.
Rashid expects Brook, Jos Buttler’s 26-year-old replacement as skipper, to bring a positive outlook to the captaincy.
“As an individual he’s quite a positive person, so I’m sure he’ll bring that to the game,” Rashid said. “We as the squad, as a coaching staff as well, I think it’ll be exciting to see what he brings to the table, but I’m sure he’ll do wonders.
“He’s been captain for Superchargers. He showed his qualities there and that was the first time he captained as well, so I’m sure as he captains more the better he will get. But you don’t see it until he’s done it. He’s always been fairly quietish, I think generally, but confident, and that’s what you need as a captain. You don’t always have to be the loudest, you don’t always have to be the one speaking, but if you’re respected, well that’s what you need.”