Adil Rashid named in England squad for first Ashes Test
Thursday 2 July 2015 10:39, UK
Adil Rashid has been named in the England squad for the first Investec Ashes Test match.
The Yorkshire spinner has been included in the 13-man group for the opening Test, at Cardiff on July 8, with Derbyshire left-armer Mark Footitt and Yorkshire's Liam Plunkett left out after being part of the squad which traveled to Spain for a training camp last month.
Rashid will compete with Moeen Ali to be the team's front-line spinner but admits he is currently second favourite for that role despite having a far superior county championship average.
In four matches, Moeen has taken three wickets at an average of 90.66 while Rashid has bagged 15 in three matches at a rate of 23.33.
It's nice to be part of the squad and if I do get the call-up, then I'll do my best and if not, then it's all part of the learning curve.
But Rashid told Sky Sports News HQ: "He (Moeen) has proved he can take wickets against the best players in the world and he deserves to get the heads up."
And he added: "I'm over the moon and very excited to be part of the squad. I got the message from the selectors and I'm really delighted about that.
"We've got a different coach and it's a different mind set. I'm looking forward to seeing what he's got to offer and working with him.
"It's nice to be part of the squad and if I do get the call-up, then I'll do my best and if not, then it's all part of the learning curve.
"I expect us to be positive and look to be aggressive. We want to play an aggressive brand of cricket and see what happens."
Yorkshire head coach Jason Gillespie, who recently described the Australia squad as a ‘ Dad’s Army’, admitted to mixed emotions about seeing four of his county’s players in the England squad but the prevailing emotion is one of pride.
“It’s fantastic to lose players to international call-ups because it shows that they are doing well,” Gillespie told Sky Sports News HQ.
“And it gives us the opportunity to give another Yorkshireman a chance to play first-class cricket.”
The Ashes - Live
England squad for first Investec Ashes Test: Alastair Cook (Essex), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), James Anderson (Lancashire), Gary Ballance (Yorkshire), Ian Bell (Warwickshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Steven Finn (Middlesex), Adam Lyth (Yorkshire), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Ben Stokes (Durham), Mark Wood (Durham).
The first Investec Ashes Test is live from Cardiff on our dedicated Sky Sports Ashes channel from Wednesday July 8.
