 Rashid took 0-37 from 10 for England Lions against New Zealand in May |
Ex-England spinner Shaun Udal says the selectors were right not to blood Adil Rashid on the India tour this winter. Rashid was the most prolific spinner in domestic cricket with 65 wickets and was tipped for a Test debut overseas. Udal, who took 4-14 in his last Test in Mumbai in 2006, said: "I think they've done the right thing to keep him back. "If you go to India as a spinner you're under pressure to perform and to win games. At 20 if it hadn't gone his way it could have knocked him back a bit." Another former England bowler, Darren Gough, told BBC Sport the Yorkshire bowler could have gone to India on a watching brief, to prepare him for the rigours of the Test arena. "I always thought they were going to take (Graeme) Swann but they could have taken Rashid on the tour, tell him that he's not playing but just coming along for experience - let him realise what the difference is, what the pressure of Test cricket is," Gough said. "I don't think there would have been any harm in that." Meanwhile, Udal, who announced his retirement last year before having a change of heart and joining Middlesex, was not completely in agreement with the selections for the Test and development squads in India this winter. "A couple of things have surprised me, [wicketkeeper] James Foster not involved in any of the tours. "He's had an excellent couple of years, he's improved his batting and his keeping is first class. If Jack Russell calls someone an excellent keeper you know they are an excellent keeper. "The Test squad virtually picks itself, I think they were right to pick Owais Shah ahead of Ravi Bopara.  Rashid's batting talent was underlined by a maiden century for Yorkshire |
"The only question would be why did they bring [Ravi] Bopara for The Oval Test as a back-up batsman and then leave him out. "But I'm really pleased for Owais. He thoroughly deserves it, he should have played a lot more Test matches than he has, and hopefully under Kevin Pietersen he is getting the confidence. "He's a seriously talented player, one of the best in the country at what he does. I hope he grabs his opportunity with both hands if he gets one." Regarding the other bowlers Udal added: "I don't think any of the selections surprised anybody. "Swann was always going to go as back up, but the other disappointment for me was that the leading wicket-taker in all cricket this year, Tim Murtagh, can't get a place on an Academy tour, when players are in there who took half the wickets he did. What has he got to do?" Contributions with the bat may have worked for Swann and Udal said: "That's always a bonus, but as a spinner you're there to win a Test match. "You never get a better opportunity to bowl on a more responsive pitch than Mumbai where it turns square. "He has been on tours before and there have been rumours of disappointing behaviour, which I'm sure is by the by and long gone now. "He's got a chance to stake a claim, I'm sure he will play at least one of the Tests and hopefully it goes his way, but Rashid is breathing down his neck."  | 606: DEBATE |
Of his own plans, Udal, now 39, who will lead Middlesex in their Twenty20 Champions League campaigns over the winter insisted he does not expect another call-up. "No, it didn't ever cross my mind I'd be dragged out again. This time last year I was retired. "I'm still thoroughly enjoying playing, winning the Twenty20 and heading off soon to play in Antigua and India, I've been made captain now so my whole life has turned around totally. "I've got a year left on my contract and I'd like to extend that, I'm talking to Middlesex about that at the moment, so hopefully I'll still be around for a while yet. "I've still got plenty to give and the best thing I ever did was to come out of retirement. "I would like to stay involved in cricket when my playing days are over, a director of cricket role or whatever does interest me, so who knows when or if that will arise."
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