🔗 Share this article

More than 16 years after his initial cap, Adil Rashid could be forgiven for tiring of the international cricket treadmill. Presently touring New Zealand for his 35th international T20 series or tournament, he summarises that hectic, monotonous life when talking about the team-bonding mini‑break in Queenstown that launched England’s winter tour: “At times, these moments are scarce during endless tours,” he states. “You arrive, practice, compete, and move on.”

Yet his enthusiasm is clear, not just when he discusses the upcoming path of a side that seems to be flourishing guided by Harry Brook and his individual spot on it, but also when watching Rashid train, play or bowl. Although he managed to halt New Zealand’s progress as they aimed to overhaul England’s monumental 236 at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval on Monday night, with his four dismissals covering four of their leading five run-getters, there is nothing he can do to halt time.

Australia’s Scott Boland shuts out noise from former England players before Ashes

Rashid reaches 38 years old in February, halfway into the T20 World Cup. When the next ODI World Cup occurs near the end of 2027 he will be nearly 40. His longtime friend and present podcast colleague Moeen Ali, just a few months his senior, retired from international cricket last year. Yet Rashid stays crucial: those four wickets took him to 19 so far this year, six more than any other Englishman. Merely three English cricketers have achieved such T20 international wickets in a single year: Graeme Swann in 2010, Sam Curran in 2022, plus Rashid in 2021, 2022, 2024 and 2025. Yet there are no considerations of retirement; his focus remains on bringing down opponents, not curtains.

“One hundred per cent I’ve still got the hunger, the craving to feature for England and symbolize my nation,” Rashid affirms. “From my view, that’s the greatest success in all sports. I still have that passion there for England. In my opinion, if the enthusiasm diminishes, or something similar, then you reflect: ‘Okay, time to genuinely evaluate it’. At the moment I haven’t really thought of anything else. I hold that drive, and much cricket remains.

“I aim to belong to this side, this roster we possess today, during the upcoming adventure we face, which ought to be rewarding and I intend to contribute. Ideally, we can taste success and claim World Cups, everything excellent. And I’m looking forward to hopefully participating in that journey.

“We are unaware of what will occur. Around the corner things can change very quickly. It’s very unpredictable, life and cricket. I aim to keep focused on the now – each game separately, each phase gradually – and let things unfold, see where cricket and life takes me.”

In many ways this is no time to be thinking of endings, but more of origins: a novel squad with a different skipper, a different coach and fresh prospects. “We’re on that journey,” Rashid says. “Several new players are present. Some have departed, some have joined, and that’s merely part of the process. But we’ve got experience, we’ve got youth, we’ve got world‑class players, we’ve got Brendon McCullum, who’s a very, very good coach, and each person supports our objectives. Indeed, setbacks will occur on the path, that’s part and parcel of the game, but we are surely dedicated and completely prepared, for all future challenges.”

The desire to schedule that Queenstown trip, and the appointment of previous All Blacks mindset trainer Gilbert Enoka, suggests there is a particular focus on creating something more from this group of players than just an XI. and Rashid feels this is a distinct asset of McCullum’s.

“We sense we are a cohesive group,” he expresses. “We feel like a family kind of environment, supporting one another irrespective of performance, if your outing is strong or weak. We attempt to ensure we adhere to our principles thus. Let’s make sure we stick together, that unity we have, that brotherhood.

“It’s a great quality, each person defends their teammates and that’s the culture Baz and we seek to form, and we have developed. And with luck, we will, no matter if our day is successful or not.

“Baz is quite calm, easygoing, but he’s on the ball in terms of coaching, he is diligent in that regard. And he aims to generate that climate. Certainly, we are at ease, we are cool, but we ensure that once we enter the field we are concentrated and we are competing fully. A lot of credit goes to Baz for creating that environment, and hopefully we can carry that on for a lot longer.”