Adil Rashid (File Photo) Getty Images
Adil Rashid (File Photo) Getty Images

Adil Rashid expressed almost as much surprise as other stakeholders on his re-inclusion in England‘s Test squad for next week’s series opener against India at Edgbaston. The Yorkshire chief executive Mark Arthur went to the extent of saying that he hoped England “knew what they are doing”.

Despite of opting out of first-class County Championship cricket, Rashid was recalled to the 13-man squad announced Thursday. “It was definitely a tough decision – and yes, obviously, I was kind of surprised,” Rashid told Sky Sports News.

“To get back in the Test side, usually people have got to go back to their counties and perform to be considered. But me and Ed Smith (England’s national selector), and a few others, had a chat – and they were thinking, if I can be available we’ll be happy for me to be in the squad. That’s something I had to think about, and I made that decision to be available,” the leggie added.

But Rashid’s inclusion induced a furious reaction from Arthur. “We re very surprised that England have called Adil up after not playing red ball cricket this season,” he told Yorkshire’s website. “Neither has he expressed a desire to do so. I hope that England know what they’re doing to Adil, and the county game,” he added.

Rashid is now in line to play his first home Test, after all 10 of his previous appearances were made overseas. His recall came alongside that of off-spinner Moeen Ali, who was preferred to Somerset’s Dom Bess — a Test debutant in the drawn series against Pakistan earlier this season.

Earlier, Rashid had expressed his desire to spruce up his white ball game keeping the 2019 World Cup in mind. He cited this as one of the reasons to move away from red ball cricket as this would have given him a single-minded pursuit of raising his game in the particular format(s).

Rashid won the last of his 10 Test caps away to India in Chennai more than 18 months ago. He starred recently in England’s one-day series wins over Australia and India, taking 20 wickets at an average of 23.95. Rashid also produced a classic leg-break to bowl India captain and star batsman Virat Kohli as England clinched a 2-1 success at the bowler’s Headingley home ground.

England squad for first Test against India, August 1-5, Edgbaston:

Joe Root (Yorkshire, capt), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), James Anderson (Lancashire), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire, wkt), 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)

(With Inputs from AFP)