Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], March 13 (ANI): England leg spinner Adil Rashid wasn’t surprised to miss out on an Indian Premier League (IPL) contract last month in the auction as he wasn’t expecting to get picked by any franchise, considering the large pool of spinners India itself has.
Rashid had a base price of Rs 1.5 crore and went unsold in the IPL auction last month. The spinner, however, is not disappointed by the exclusion.
“I wouldn’t say disappointing (on him being not picked in IPL auction). Obviously, there are a lot of spinners out there and India also got their own local spinners. So I wasn’t really expecting myself to get picked because I knew there are a lot of spinners out there. So not too disappointing in that sense,” said Rashid in a virtual press conference on Saturday.
Rashid took the priced scalp of India skipper Virat Kohli in the first T20I on Friday after opening the bowling for England. Though he had previously bowled a first over, the spinner admitted it was something new for him.
“I am working on my game. Bowling with a new ball is something very new for me. Opening the bowling was something new, it was a good experience,” said Rashid.
“Hope I can carry on with that regardless of the situation, whether it’s first six (overs), middle or back, I am always looking to develop and work hard,” he added.
Having last played a match in the longest format of the game prior to the 2019 World Cup, the leg-spinner said playing Test cricket hasn’t crossed his mind as he is focusing on the white-ball format.
“Test cricket or Ashes has not really crossed my mind. There is a World Cup coming and there is a lot of cricket before that, let’s see all goes. I am focussing on white-ball cricket at the moment,” said Rashid.
The Eoin Morgan-led side, which won the first T20I comfortably by eight wickets, will now look to extend their lead in the ongoing five-match series when they face India in the second T20I at the same venue on Sunday. (ANI)