Is Rashid still England's No 1 spinner in ODI cricket? — SkimNews
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- Adil Rashid was left out of England's final three games of the ODI tri-series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka; head coach Brendon McCullum said Liam Dawson's left-arm darts were more beneficial in Pakistani conditions than Rashid's leg-breaks.
- Liam Dawson took seven wickets at 21.42 in the tri-series, while Rashid's sole appearance brought 1-55 from eight overs at an economy of 6.87; the three most prolific spinners were all southpaws.
- Adil Rashid's 2026 ODI return is nine wickets in seven games at 36.22 average and a 37.50 strike rate, compared with 30 wickets in 15 matches at 23.63 and 24.10 in 2025.
- Adil Rashid has 244 ODI wickets for England, second only to James Anderson's 269, but his central contract ends before the next 50-over World Cup in late 2027.
- Sri Lanka chased 430 at Rawalpindi and Pakistan recovered from 154-9 to pursue 242 in Lahore; without Rashid, England missed his middle-over wicket-taking.
- Sam Curran took four wickets at 54.75 with an economy of 7.50 in the tri-series and looked "anodyne" in spells; if Rashid replaced a main fast bowler, Curran would have to become the third seamer, while replacing Curran would probably push Dawson to No. 7.
- Michael Atherton said Australia was where a wrist-spinner would "come into his own," and assumed Rashid would play in the three-match ODI series beginning November 13.
Why it matters: England's three-match ODI series in Australia, beginning November 13, centres a choice between Dawson's left-arm bowling, preferred in Pakistan, and Rashid's 244-wicket ODI record. The trade-off is concrete: in two tri-series chases without Rashid, England conceded 430 and recovered from 154-9, while his middle-over wicket-taking was "sorely missed."
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