Adil Rashid is one of the world's best ODI spinners, says Rob Key

"Rashid's struggles in Tests are down to the fact he is still not 100 per cent sure of what his go-to ball is. But I still think he has a role to play in the longer format."

By Rob Key, Cricket Expert

Image: Adil Rashid claimed 1-28 from six overs in Friday's second ODI, including the wicket of Chris Gayle

Adil Rashid is England's best bowler in white-ball cricket. Certainly the most important.

I can't think of many better spinners in world cricket right now. We don't see the impressive Afghanistan youngsters Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman in 50-over cricket as much as the T20 format. Rashid is right up there.

India have Kuldeep Yadav and maybe a couple others. But I'd have Rashid right up there with him, and Imran Tahir of South Africa and Shadab Khan of Pakistan.

If you could captain or pick a fantasy world XI, again he'd be one of the first names on the team-sheet. Just ask Eoin Morgan.

Rashid castled Gayle with an excellent leg-break in Barbados

A few eyebrows were raised when Morgan held Rashid back untill the 34th over in Wednesday's ODI and, as much as he said at the end of the game he was happy with when he brought Rashid on, he clearly showed how he probably wished he had done it with the way he used him on Friday.

Advertisement

In the first game, he perhaps looked at the historical match-up of Rashid versus Chris Gayle and the analytics probably had it as a red-zone, no-go area. Morgan was probably hoping someone would have chipped Gayle's edge, got him out and then Rashid would have been straight on. The problem was, Gayle didn't get out.

But cricket is such a fluid game. You get different conditions - this pitch spun a bit more than on Wednesday - and Rashid comes on in the 19th over and bowls brilliantly at Gayle.

Also See:

Image: Rashid, Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler celebrate a wicket

He bowls with so much control now. I can't remember seeing him bowl so consistently.

Normally in the first couple of overs, in the past, he would have served up two or three drag-downs, long-hops, whatever you want to call them. But, these days, he lands everything exactly where you feel he wants to land it.

He bowls a lot of change-ups, so his stock ball tends to be different every game. But he has so much faith in his plans, he can execute it perfectly now.

When he bowls his googly to left-handers, like Gayle, he just puts it right on the money time after time. And then he changes his pace for the leg-spinner, lures Gayle into the big shot and bowls him.

That's the difference in Test cricket. Rashid's struggles are down to the fact he is still not 100 per cent sure of what his go-to ball is, or should be. But I still think he has a role to play in the longer format for England.

Rashid showed his fielding skills by running out Darren Bravo from third man

Rashid also pitched in with a terrific run out of Darren Bravo. Adil lures you in a bit really, because he looks like a hopeless fielder, but actually he's pretty quick and has a good arm. He is a pure talent.

We so often define talent based on batsmen or bowlers, but I've played a lot with Rashid and I'd say he's one of the most talented cricketers I've ever played with.

Rashid's six overs were impressive but the standout bowler for England was Mark Wood (1-38).

Image: Mark Wood bowled Carlos Brathwaite in his final over

We've now seen two hugely encouraging spells from him on this tour. One in that third Test match - his comeback to the side - and then again here. He has looked a class apart from everyone else.

He has been quick, notching above 90mph at times. He found reverse swing, which you don't often see in this day and age of 50-over cricket with the two white balls, and he bowled good yorkers.

You just never felt anyone was going to get hold of him. With the new ball against Gayle; Gayle has been slow in getting going in both games, but a lot of that has been down to the brilliance of Wood, and then at the back-end of this game too he made Carlos Brathwaite look completely lost.

Live One-Day International Cricket

With all the talk coming into this series surrounding Jofra Archer - and his potential inclusion for the World Cup this summer - it just shows you, if he can stay fit, Wood can be that raw pace option in England's attack.

I'd be amazed if there's any quicker than him in England at the moment, Archer included. It was such an encouraging spell from him.

Watch the action from Barbados as the Windies took on England in the second ODI

Watch the third ODI live on Sky Sports Cricket from 1pm on Monday! You can also follow over-by-over commentary and in-play clips on our rolling blog on skysports.com and the Sky Sports app.

Outbrain