Still Got The Hunger To Become The Best: Adil Rashid

England’s ace white-ball legspinner Adil Rashid is 37 but still has the hunger to help his team turn things around under the new leadership of Harry Brook. England, who have been in terrible form in white-ball cricket in the last couple of years, are scheduled to play three ODIs and as many T20Is against West Indies, starting on May 29.

"I'm trying to go as long as I can if the body allows, but also form, making sure that I try my best and giving myself the best chance. I've still got the hunger to become the best and try my best and not just for myself, but from a team point of view, to win World Cups for the team and try to become the best team we can. That's what drives me at the moment,” ESPNcricinfo quoted Rashid as saying.

Rashid quit red-ball cricket in 2018, and the legspinner feels that has helped him prolong his white-ball career. "I think that's been the key. And it's almost having priorities in life and sometimes when you are at that stage of knowing, 'okay, when can I play, when do I rest?' If I want to keep going for as long as I can then I know I've got to have that balance.

"If I just keep playing too much, you can burn out and finish your career where you don't want to be. So for my aim, the most important thing is having that balance in life."

Rashid has been named in the ODI and T20I squads, with 35-year-old Liam Dawson also part of the 20-over set-up. The spin-bowling all-rounder last played for England in 2022. 

"For him [Dawson] to come back now it shows determination, it shows his hunger to become the best and good on him. He's a lovely guy and he's a very, very good cricketer so I'm sure he'll do well for England when he plays.

"You've got some players who compete in their early forties. Look at Jimmy Anderson, he's 42, he's fit, he's going well and he's got that hunger. So it's all depending on the individual,” added Rashid.

"But sometimes it can be the outside noise, right? You're hitting 35, 36, what you're looking to next. But in your mind still you're thinking, 'wait, I've still got another five, six years here. I feel good, I feel fit, I want to give my all. I'm still loving the game, I'm still hungry.' So there's a lot of factors taking place, but it can sometimes creep in."

Talking about England’s new white-ball captain Brook, Rashid said: "As an individual he's quite a positive person, so I'm sure he'll bring that to the game. We as the squad, as a coaching staff as well, I think it'll be exciting to see what he brings to the table, but I'm sure he'll do wonders.

"He's been captain for Superchargers. He showed his qualities there and that was the first time he captained as well, so I'm sure as he captains more the better he will get. But you don't see it until he's done it. He's always been fairly quietish, I think generally, but confident, and that's what you need as a captain. You don't always have to be the loudest, you don't always have to be the one speaking, but if you're respected, well that's what you need."