No bowler will be as crucial to England’s World Cup title defence as Adil Rashid.
With a partial change of guard over the past four years, dropping in and out of the core group as the calendar allowed, Rashid has remained largely constant.
Since the 2019 final, only Moeen Ali has played more ODIs in England’s World Cup team than Rashid, and no player has taken more wickets during that time. Their squad is littered with substitution options and there is plenty of variation at left-back to choose from, but Rashid is the only one trusted to get the job done.
England rely on him more than any other player in the team. There is still firepower below the top to fall back on if Jonny Bairstow or Dawid Malan stumble and fall behind during a mid-order collapse, but there are no plans to back up Adil Rashid.
This dependence is further reinforced by the importance that spin plays in this World Cup. A quick look at the leading wicket-takers at the 2011 World Cup shows how important slow bowlers will be, in contrast to their relatively minor role in England four years ago. Masu.
Rashid was not at his best in the last World Cup. He took 11 wickets in as many matches and scored less than 6 runs per over. This was not a problem at the time, as pace and momentum prevailed in England’s conditions, and England abandoned their usual double-turn attack midway through the tournament.
The team had more than enough skill to adapt and the batting attack was in good enough shape to ensure that the bowlers were good enough for the most part. But this time there is nothing so certain.
England are improving with each game in their series against New Zealand, with Malan vibrant, Ben Stokes able to unleash absurdity at will and Harry Brooke on the flanks. I feel like I’m not ready enough, like I’m waiting. . The same goes for bowlers. There is still uncertainty as to what the start of their attack will look like and how Butler will use the sailors at his disposal.
However, Rashid is given the ball after the powerplay and is expected to use up his entire quota for overs and take advantage of the dry conditions to run off as many batsmen as possible. And perhaps this will be his last chance to show England exactly what they will be missing out on, at least in ODI cricket. Sam Curran could have won the man of the match award at the 2022 T20 World Cup, but Rashid ended the tournament with 4-58 and less than a run in the final 12 overs of the tournament. The contribution to was equally important. Ball in both the semi-finals and the final.
For four years, England have tried to avoid the idea of Rashid taking a break from international action. This World Cup will likely end much of their leadership since 2015, when they were at the forefront of the white-ball revolution. But no one will miss them as deeply as Rasheed.
No spinner has taken more wickets in this format for England than Rashid, followed by Moeen 78. Moeen’s role will depend on conditions and fixtures, but Rashid will be a fixture and the first name on the team sheet after Buttler.
The England team in this competition looks essentially the same as in 2019. The changing of the guard takes place only afterwards. It will usher in a new era for those who came of age when England dominated white-ball cricket. But if this is Rashid’s last hurray, it will be his retirement that marks the true end of this chapter.
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