Trevor Bayliss: 'Adil Rashid a possible long-term choice for England'

By Chris O'Keefe, Reporter | 18 October 2015

Trevor Bayliss claims that Adil Rashid could play a long-term role in the England Test team, beyond the current series against Pakistan.

England coach Trevor Bayliss has hinted that leg-spinner Adil Rashid could feature in the Test team in the long-term, if he continues to bowl well.

Having recorded the worst figures by a Test debutant with 0-163 in the first innings at Abu Dhabi, Rashid ripped through the Pakistan batting order with 5-64, which almost set up an unlikely victory for the tourists.

However, Bayliss has suggested that the Yorkshire bowler could feature beyond this series in the United Arab Emirates.

He is quoted by The Express as saying: "He's definitely not a selection just for here. We saw with Shane Warne that he played everywhere.

"It will come down to whether he is bowling well enough to stay in. And it's a lot easier to keep him in the team if you've got Moeen (Ali) batting in the top six and Ben Stokes in there as well.

"The possibilities of combinations we are able to play with those guys in the team are, well, it's big."

England's second Test against Pakistan gets underway in Dubai on Thursday.