Adil Rashid’s selection for the first Test at Edgbaston has caused quite a stir.
The England leg-spinner is employed on a white-ball-only contract at Yorkshire having declared himself unavailable for red-ball cricket. But the selectors have persuaded him to play, recognising the potential value of an international quality spinner during a dry, hot summer.
Here are some of the stronger reactions to the decision.
Michael Vaughan was livid.
So we have picked someone who cannot be arsed with 4 day cricket for the Test Team … Forget whether he is good enough or not I find this decision ridiculous … !!!
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) July 26, 2018
And his fellow Yorkshireman, the journalist David Hopps, was particularly hysterical:
“As a sporting example of the difference between metropolitan laws of convenience and the cussed, uncompromising morality that still flavours much of the north, this one will take some beating,” he wrote.
Yorkshire chairman Mark Arthur said: “We’re very surprised that England have called up Adil after not playing red-ball cricket this season. Neither has he expressed a desire to do so. I hope that England know what they are doing to Adil, and to the county game.”
With Jack Leach omitted due to a lack of bowling, Somerset also raised a eyebrows.
— Somerset Cricket ? (@SomersetCCC) July 26, 2018
David Lloyd, on the other hand, could see the value in getting Rashid involved in long-form cricket again.
I’m comfortable with the outcome that he is now able to play red ball cricket https://t.co/WGxKRgpndT
— David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd (@BumbleCricket) July 26, 2018
Kevin Pietersen had some concerns.
Picking Rashid if he plays 4day County cricket or not doesn’t interest me at all.
BUT, the difference between facing a spinner in Tests compared to white ball, is MASSIVE!
WI tried it with Narine & I played that Test. It was a different ball game!
Hope Adil goes well!
— Kevin Pietersen (@KP24) July 27, 2018
Not everyone was against the selection, though.
Rashid has played 166 first-class matches, taken 490 wickets and scored 6,577 runs since making his Yorkshire debut 12 years ago. He’s done a fair bit of yakka in his time.
His selection is based on that background and therefore doesn’t devalue the Championship at all.
— CricketBadger (@cricket_badger) July 26, 2018
Rashid himself hit back at critics: “There will be people out there who are not happy. There will be haters, like the pundits who are saying it is a disgrace. That is not my fault.”
What do you make of it?
