Leg-spinner Adil Rashid could earn an England Test recall if he changes his mind over red-ball cricket, coach Trevor Bayliss has said.
The 30-year-old has not represented his country in the longest format since 2016 and just five months ago he signed a contract with Yorkshire that would ensure he only played one-day competitions for them this season.
Since then, Rashidās form in limited-overs cricket has been terrific. No one has taken more wickets across one-day and Twenty20 internationals for England this summer, with Rashid having picked up 25 victims, including Virat Kohli at Headingley on Tuesday with a sharply-turning delivery that left Indiaās captain awestruck.
Rashidās 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.
Spin may be a key factor in the five-match series with India following the uncharacteristically hot and dry summer on these shores so England could consider deploying two spinners, which raises the question of Rashidās possible return.
Asked whether Rashid would be considered if he was playing red-ball cricket, Bayliss replied: āPossibly. This year is probably the best weāve seen him bowl.
āHeās 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 Iāve seen him bowl since Iāve been here.
ā(Reconsidering) is a decision heās got to make. Iām not sure whether (national selector) Ed Smithās had a chat with him or not. Could he get picked in the Test team on white-ball form? Well, itās already been proven this year ā itās happened once (with Jos Buttler). So Iām sure heāll be up for discussion, definitely.ā
Speaking after Tuesdayās win over India, Rashid had said: āIām just concentrating on white-ball cricket. Iām looking forward to the winter now.ā
Moeen has missed Englandās last three Tests but appears to have found his mojo again in the recent ODIs.
But Bayliss wants to see him bowl well with a red ball too so Englandās selectors will keep a keen eye on Worcestershireās County Championship contest with Somerset, which begins this weekend and could feature Moeen, Leach and Bess.
āWeād like to see him do it in four-day cricket,ā Bayliss added of Moeen.
āHis one-day cricket hasnāt been a lot different really. He does what he does and he bowls pretty well for us and scores a few runs, plays a good role for us at number seven and as the second spinner behind Rash.
āHeās a confidence player and thatāll be a decision we have to make before that first Test. Do we take in two spinners for some of these games?
āIt is a bit drier this year and if we do we need to decide who those two are going to be.ā