England’s quiet champion will be harder to replace than Joe Root ...Middle East

After England’s dramatic win against the West Indies in Cardiff on Sunday, it was right Joe Root grabbed the headlines following his masterful unbeaten 166 that got his team over the line.

Yet the series-sealing win in the second one-day international wouldn’t have been possible without the contribution of another Yorkshireman at the back end of his career – Adil Rashid.

The leg-spinner’s four-wicket haul helped peg back the West Indies’ run rate and left Harry Brook’s men chasing 309 rather than the 350-plus total that looked likely for much of the innings.

Adil Rashid provides the much needed breakthrough! pic.twitter.com/SFM8ri0YxQ

Rashid is an unassuming character who shies away from the limelight but this double World Cup winner is perhaps even more irreplaceable than Root given the dearth of options to succeed him as England’s frontline spinner in white-ball cricket.

While Root overtook Eoin Morgan to become England’s leading ODI runscorer on Sunday, Rashid’s enduring class was illustrated by his own landmark when he passed Graeme Swann’s tally of 410 wickets to become his country’s most prolific spinner across all three international formats.

At 37, the end is drawing closer for Rashid, a bowler whose issues with a chronic shoulder injury forced him to stop playing Test cricket in 2019.

How long he can go on for remains to be seen, but England will hope he can prolong his career until the next 50-over World Cup in 2027 given how important he is to the team.

That was shown by the stark difference in bowling figures at Sophia Gardens on Sunday between Rashid and part-time spinners Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks.

England’s top five spinners of all-time

Adil Rashid (2009-present – 294 matches)

Graeme Swann (2000-2013 – 178 matches)

Moeen Ali (2014-2024 – 298 matches)

Derek Underwood (1966-82 – 112 matches)

John Emburey (1978-95 – 125 matches)

That pair bowled 10 overs between them, taking two wickets at the cost of 91 runs. In his own 10 overs, Rashid took 4 for 63.

Rashid’s ability to deceive even the very best batters with his googly means he is always in the game. His skill in varying his pace, dip and flight, borne of 16 years playing international cricket, also makes him a constant threat.

His value was spelled out during Sunday’s match by Morgan, the captain who Rashid helped win the 2019 World Cup.

“He is going to be so hard to replace when he chooses to finish his international career,” Morgan told Sky Sports.

“He brings you a threat to take wickets in all areas of the game. That’s why in different stages of the innings Harry Brook took him in and out of the attack for pure strategic reasons because he can have an impact at any time.

“The longevity Adil Rashid has shown throughout his career is remarkable because you would think people will get to know him better, play him better, negate what he has to offer. But he has just continued to evolve, continued to learn over the years. He’s just been brilliant.”

This creates a problem for England because there has been very little succession planning in terms of replacing Rashid.

Bethell and Jacks are serviceable part-time spin options, as was Liam Livingstone before he was dropped following this year’s Champions Trophy.

square CRICKET Sport Analysis

Never mind his age, England need Joe Root for the 2027 World Cup

In terms of viable frontline options, Rehan Ahmed, another leg-spinner, is still only 20 and has been in and out of the white-ball set-up of late.

Tom Hartley is in the squad for this one-day series against the West Indies and, with the series won, might yet play in Tuesday’s final match at The Oval. But at 26, he has played just one completed ODI.

England’s Test spinner Shoaib Bashir is a red-ball specialist who has played just eight domestic 50-over games and averages 114.66 in the format.

Jafer Chohan, the 22-year-old leg-spinner called up for the last winter tour of the Caribbean, has only ever played T20 cricket.

So, England will be hoping that Rashid, who undertakes a strict regime of regular gym work to keep his troublesome right shoulder in check, can hold out until the next 50-over World Cup.

Speaking during the Champions Trophy in Pakistan earlier this year, Rashid gave no guarantees he would still be around then.

“Well, that’s two years away,” he said. “A lot of things can happen from now until then. Who knows?”

Who is next in line to succeed Rashid?

Rehan Ahmed

(England matches: 21; wickets: 44; ave: 27.72)

The leg-spinner, 20, made his Test debut at 17 but has not played an ODI for his country in 18 months. Looks the best bet to take over Rashid.

Tom Hartley

(England matches: 7; wickets: 22; ave: 38.86)

Lancashire left-arm spinner, 26, had a fine debut Test series in India last year but has played just one completed ODI and was a non-playing squad member at last summer’s T20 World Cup in the Caribbean.

Jafer Chohan

(Domestic T20 matches: 29; wickets: 25; ave: 27.48)

The 22-year-old leg-spinner has only played T20 cricket as a professional but was included in England’s squads for last winter’s white-ball tour of the West Indies. Has started this summer’s Blast with nought for 97 in two matches for Yorkshire.

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