Adil Rashid is on a steep learning curve but has the potential to become a “real handful” in Test cricket, according to Shane Warne.

– DUBAI: Icons of Cricket launched
– WARNE: Australia Test spots up for grabs
– VAUGHAN: England too reliant on Cook and Root
– PAKvENG: Rashid narrowly fails to earn England draw

Rashid’s record after two matches features one five-wicket haul but an overall seven for 418 – an average of almost 60 – against Pakistan.

The 27-year-old’s early strides in Test cricket are as notable perhaps for his defiant maiden half-century in Dubai as England tried in vain to save the second match of three.

Warne, however, predicts improvement from the Yorkshireman – and knows from personal experience that initial difficulties can be overcome by an aspiring international leg-spinner.

The Australian, undoubtedly the greatest ever exponent of the craft, went on to take 708 Test wickets –after recording figures of one for 150 on his debut against India in Sydney.

Rashid has not been helped by having to bowl first twice, after Alastair Cook lost the toss in the first two Tests in the UAE.

“I ended up doing it a lot,” he told Cricinfo. “I had to learn. It’s all the subtleties of a legspinner, patience, changing position on the crease, not bowling the same ball twice, don’t attack too much with the field, basically try to tie up an end – especially here where it’s so hot, so the quicks can rotate.”

Rashid is discovering all of that first hand. Warne added: “It’s about trying to beat them in flight, get them driving. My line would change a bit – you’d go a bit wider, then you’d use the faster, straighter one as a major weapon.

“But the hard-spun legbreak is the real key, and you just had to try that as much as you could. That was basically it for the first two days.”

Rashid took advantage of being able to bowl on the final day in Abu Dhabi, with that maiden five-wicket haul. In Dubai, however, he was outbowled by fit-again Pakistan leg spinner Yasir Shah – who with 69 wickets in his first 11 Tests over the past year, has risen to second in the International Cricket Council rankings.

Comparing the two leg-spinners, Warne said: “They are completely different bowlers. Yasir is a real hustle-and-bustle leg-spinner.

“To me he’s the best in international cricket at the moment, and I hope Rashid will get better. He’s not as fluent as someone like Yasir, but that doesn’t mean he’s not as effective. If he gets his confidence up I think he can be a real handful.”

Meanwhile, left-arm spinner Zafar Ansari is to miss the start of England’s Performance Programme this winter as he continues his recovery from a broken thumb.

The 23-year-old all-rounder suffered the injury last month, within hours of being called up for his maiden Test tour – England’s ongoing trip against Pakistan.

National selector James Whitaker explained the thumb on left-arm orthodox Ansari’s bowling hand has not healed sufficiently yet for him to take his place on the batting and spin camp in the UAE as initially scheduled on November 11.