Adil Rashid is a young English leg spinner of Pakistani origin that plays for Yorkshire and England. He made history, when at just 18 years old, he became the first Yorkshire-born cricketer of Pakistani origin to play for the county. That match was against Warwickshire, and he immediately showed his promise by picking up 6 wickets for 67 runs.

He has also shown his ability with the bat, having already hit 4 centuries in his fledgling first-class career.

He has represented England in 10 international games, and all have been in the limited overs formats. He narrowly missed out on the Ashes and the Performance squad tours of Australia this winter, but is looking forward to the new season.

Adil spoke to PakPassion about how he came into the game and his thoughts on other aspects of cricket.

PakPassion.Net: How did you get spotted by Yorkshire?

Adil Rashid: I was 12-13 playing for local clubs, from there I started trialing for the Yorkshire age groups and it all kicked off for me. I started off playing for the U-13 then moved onto U-15, U-19, and the second team and then broke through to the first team.


PakPassion.Net: Who at Yorkshire spotted you and realised you had talent? Was it one of the Yorkshire coaches?

Adil Rashid: I don't think it was so much one of the coaches, it was when as a kid you go to the nets as a group and you keep developing, then you put your name forward for trials for Yorkshire U-13 and that is how it worked for me.


PakPassion.Net: Were you always a leg spinner?

Adil Rashid: Yes, I started bowling leg spin from day one. I also had my batting as well but my first priority was always leg spin.


PakPassion.Net: Growing up, who were your cricketing role models?

Adil Rashid: Shane Warne and Sachin Tendulkar were my main idols, both of them are legends. I always enjoy watching them and have tried to copy them. 


PakPassion.Net: When you started watching as well as playing cricket, especially when Pakistan played England, who did you support?

Adil Rashid: When I was younger I supported Pakistan, but as I grew older and over the past 2-3 years since I have played for England, so I support the team I play for.


PakPassion.Net: I guess your family and friends will probably still be supporting Pakistan. When you started supporting England and playing for England, how did they feel about that?

Adil Rashid: If Pakistan were playing England and I was playing for England, they would support Pakistan but they would want me to do well, get wickets and runs. So it is a bit of both, they would be supporting me but also wanting Pakistan to win. 


PakPassion.Net: Asian families usually want their sons to be doctors, engineers etc, did your family support you all the way in your ambition become a cricketer, or were they telling you to concentrate on your education instead?

Adil Rashid: Obviously when I started at the age of 13, my education was the priority, but as I turned 18 and started playing professionally, I didn't worry about education as it was all about cricket for me. My family are backing me to go all the way and they have done so since I was 13-14.


PakPassion.Net: I think there are a lot of Asian guys out there who wish they get the same level of support from their families because there will be a lot of talented young cricketers, especially in the Yorkshire area, whose parents probably won't give them that much support and would want them to do a different profession?

Adil Rashid: Obviously I was lucky that I got the support from my family. From a very young age, my dad was always teaching me about cricket so I have been very fortunate. There is a lot of talent around in the Yorkshire area, it just hasn't been recognised as of yet. Hopefully they can keep trying and performing for their local clubs and they will be put forward for Yorkshire.


PakPassion.Net: It is really good that your family has supported you, is there anybody else in the family who plays cricket?

Adil Rashid: I have got two older brothers and they played for the Yorkshire second team and the various age groups. They still play in the Bradford league.


PakPassion.Net: One of our posters plays for Manningham Mills cricket club and wanted to ask whether you know anything about them?

Adil Rashid: Yeah I remember that club, I started off there and played for them until I was about 15-16


PakPassion.Net: Coming back to bowlers, you mentioned Warne earlier. Muralitharan and Warne were obviously different styles of bowler, both are legends but who do you think was the better bowler?

Adil Rashid: I think they were as good as each other in their own way. They were obviously different types of bowlers and both had different skills. Also, they were different in the way they went about playing the game, Warne was a bit more aggressive and an in-your-face kind of bowler whilst Muralitharan was more calm and relaxed. It is hard to compare them but I think they were as good as each other.


PakPassion.Net: Who do you think is the best spinner in the world at the moment?

Adil Rashid: It has to be Graeme Swann, he is the best spinner going. You also have Harbhajan and Vettori who are good bowlers.


PakPassion.Net: What about your favourite bowlers, not just spinners, who is your favourite non-English bowler?

Adil Rashid: Shaun Tait, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir. Obviously Shaun Tait is all about express pace, Asif is a line and length bowler and Amir is a young talent coming through. So I enjoy watching those three bowl.


PakPassion.Net: You have only been playing county and International cricket for a few years but you have already had some great moments. What has been your favourite cricketing moment so far?

Adil Rashid: There have been quite a few, but the main one would be my debut for Yorkshire, where I took 6 wickets. Also England versus Pakistan last year at the Oval during the 2009 T20 World Cup, where we won.


PakPassion.Net: You have had a very good season for Yorkshire and you were widely expected to either be a part of the Ashes squad or the Performance squad but were overlooked for both tours. Do you think it is a good thing you are getting a chance to have a rest and recharge your batteries, or would you have preferred to have been in one of those squads?

Adil Rashid: Obviously it would have been nice to have made the Ashes squad but it wasn't to be. Now though I am finding the rest useful, I will be having a couple of months off before getting back to training and hopefully I will make the Lions squad or the World Cup squad. 


PakPassion.Net: Sometimes it is a good thing to have a rest, a complete break from cricket and you can come back stronger and fresher.

Adil Rashid: Yes definitely, that is true. I haven't had a rest in 4 years, ever since I was 17-18 I have always been away on tours. This is the first time I haven't been involved in a winter tour so am enjoying the break and am looking forward to the New Year.


PakPassion.Net: Younis Khan was at Yorkshire. Whenever we speak to him he speaks highly of his time there, how did you find Younis Khan when he was in the Yorkshire side? Did you get the chance to get to know him?

Adil Rashid: Younis Khan is a very nice person, very down to earth. He was a very hard worker and always had a smile on his face, regardless of whether he was playing well or not. In the dressing room and on the pitch as well he gave a lot of advice, a good team man and a nice person.


PakPassion.Net: He bowls a bit of leg spin as well. Did he offer you any advice or were you giving him some tips?

Adil Rashid: No, no [laughs].


PakPassion.Net: Mushtaq Ahmed is the England spin bowling coach. Have you had a chance to work with Mushy?

Adil Rashid: I worked with him quite a bit last year in South Africa. We worked on my action and also how to work out batsmen.


PakPassion.Net: Did he give you some good advice?

Adil Rashid: Yes he definitely gave me good advice. He told me to always enjoy the game and to enjoy bowling. We worked more on the mental side of the game rather than the technical aspects, so it was about strategies on getting batsmen out.


PakPassion.Net: Most cricketers who we get the chance to interview, whether they are 18, 19 year old lads coming into the game or whether they are 34-35 year old veterans who have played a lot of cricket, say they are always learning about the game, there is always something new to be learnt. What areas of your game do you think you need to improve on?

Adil Rashid: I do agree that you never stop learning, every game you learn something new. I still have a long way to go. I continue to work on my action and my stock delivery, as well as my batting and general all-round play. There are loads of things I need to work on to become the best that I can be, hopefully step by step I will continue to improve. 


PakPassion.Net: British Asian cricketers, there seems to be more and more of them every season coming into the game and it is very good to see. As far as selection is concerned some of them say that it is harder for Asian cricketers to be selected by counties. Have you had any problems with selection and do you think it is true that it is harder for Asian cricketers to get noticed?

Adil Rashid: That obviously hasn't happened to me. I would not agree, I think if you are good enough whether you are Asian or not you will get through. You just have to work hard and you can make it. 


PakPassion.Net: Most cricketers say their favourite stadium/ground is their home ground, obviously you have a lot of love for Headingley but which are your favourite grounds around the world? 

Adil Rashid: The South African stadiums are really nice, especially Cape Town. Also Scarborough stands out as it was my debut, it was a full house, 8000 there to watch a Championship game.


PakPassion.Net: As an England player, if you could choose between a World Cup win or an Ashes win, which would you prefer?

Adil Rashid: I would definitely choose an Ashes win. I think it means a lot more, it is a real battle. The crowds are more into it and every single moment is exciting. 


PakPassion.Net: Twenty20 cricket, when it started people said it is not really a game for spinners, but gradually spinners have had a big influence in Twenty20 cricket, why do you think that is?

Adil Rashid: Yes that was what people thought at first, that spinners would be smashed but as Twenty20 continued, spinners have found a way to vary their pace, vary the length and setting certain fields for batsmen and it has worked. That has happened to me this year, you look at the batsman and see the shots he is playing and mix the pace up which unsettles the batsman and they come after you, and more often than not it is a case of he misses and you hit. Spinners are now key in Twenty20 cricket.


PakPassion.Net: You and Ajmal Shahzad have done very well, obviously both recognised Yorkshire players and made it into international cricket. Are there any other up and coming Asian cricketers in Yorkshire that we should look out for?

Adil Rashid: There is Azeem Rafique who has played a few first-class games. Also Moin Ashraf who recently played in a Championship game, a fast bowler. There are those two up and coming so hopefully they can kick on next year and progress.


PakPassion.Net: You could perhaps do a bit of scouting in the Bradford area, picking up more Asian cricketers for Yorkshire?

Adil Rashid: If they are good enough, why not.


PakPassion.Net: Coming back to Yorkshire, can you win the County Championship next season?

Adil Rashid: Yes, definitely. We were very  close this year, just one game away from winning. We have the batsmen, bowlers and a good captain so if we can play like we did this year then we will have a good shout. 


PakPassion.Net: Finally, any messages for young Asian cricketers out there in the UK that are trying to emulate yourself by getting into county cricket and to play for England?

Adil Rashid: The main thing is to keep working hard and never give up, even if things are not going your way. You have to try and find a way and aim to be the best you can be and always enjoy it.


PakPassion.Net: Thank you very much for your time Adil, it was much appreciated. Everyone at PakPassion wishes you the best of luck for the future.