More than three years on from his most recent England Test appearance, Adil Rashid is determined to keep the international door open and hopes new coach Brendon McCullum hands him a recall.
Since winning the last of his 19 caps against the West Indies in January 2019, Rashid has become England's leading wicket-taker in T20 and helped guide his country to its first World Cup. But after a change of coach and captain, he's eager to ensure there's more to come in the Test arena.
"It's always exciting when something new comes along," Yorkshire leg-spinner Rashid told Mail Online. "Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes both like to be positive and attacking. That drives me on and it's very exciting.
"Brendon's reached out to me — just a text to check how things are. I've not closed the door on Test cricket. I've not retired, or anything like that. It's something that's still there. It's everyone's dream to play Test cricket and I'm no different."
McCullum has been candid in his view that he's open to summoning some of those stars who have moved away from the Test team in recent years. That includes the likes of Jos Buttler, Liam Livingstone and Moeen Ali, a close friend of Rashid's.
Ali announced his retirement from Test cricket in September 2021 but has since captained the T20 side. Recent reports have suggested the 34-year-old could cut short his Test retirement after barely six months, however.
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Combined with Stokes' promotion to the captaincy, there's a sense England are building from the ground up but with familiar foundations. To that end, Rashid said it could be a sweetener in the deal if Ali were to also receive a recall.
"He's like a brother to me," added the Headingley star. "It's definitely a conversation we'd have, and that would inspire me. It could happen. But for us to get to that point, a lot else has got to happen too."
McCullum, 40, has already admitted he's "not sure someone like Adil would play every game" if he were to return. Even that may be more than enough of a chance to reclaim his spot in the Test ranks, however, as England start afresh.
