The Yorkshire spinner has fully recovered from a long-term shoulder problem but worries the issue might resurface
Adil Rashid will balance his long-term health before deciding whether to return to the Test arena with England.
Both head coach Chris Silverwood and national selector Ed Smith talked up the chances of the Yorkshire spinner resuming his red-ball career this winter.
Those endorsements followed another stellar period for Rashid in limited-overs cricket, as he claimed 17 wickets in 12 matches against Ireland, Pakistan, and Australia this summer.
Rashid has not played a first-class match since his last Test outing for England against West Indies in January 2019.
A shoulder injury dogged the 32-year-old throughout last year, requiring him to take steroid injections to play through a victorious World Cup campaign.
Though England are likely to require extra resources in a depleted spin-bowling department this winter when they face India and Sri Lanka, Rashid says his physical well-being remains at the forefront of his mind.
"I was very honest and said that there are pros and cons about playing Test cricket again and the biggest issue is my shoulder injury which has been ongoing for over 12 months," he told The i.
"I have to be cautious and only I know what I had to go through to get my shoulder right. By not playing Test cricket it has meant that I’ve got the shoulder in good shape again in the last six or seven months.
"The big question is whether my shoulder can handle the stress of red-ball cricket again and there is the potential knock-on effect on my bowling in the shorter formats to consider as well.
"It’s something I need to think about, and it will be a decision that I have to ensure I won’t regret."
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