England may have won seven of their past eight completed T20s but Adil Rashid believes Harry Brook’s white-ball side are only getting started.
Since Brook took the reins from Jos Buttler earlier this year, England’s only defeat in the most unpredictable format has been against South Africa in Cardiff in a farcical rain-affected shootout.
They rebounded with the highest T20 score by a Test nation after amassing 304 for two against the Proteas last month, while, under Brook, England have compiled three of their highest five totals.
Phil Salt has banished any doubt about his opener’s spot with some stunning recent innings, while Tom Banton, Jordan Cox and Luke Wood are being given their chance, with Liam Livingstone jettisoned from the set-up.
But Rashid argued the team is still in transition and likened the current crop to 2015, when Eoin Morgan took England from rock-bottom to world 50-over champions over the following four-year period.
“We’re on that journey, we’ve still got a long way to go,” Rashid said. “We’re rebuilding. A few new faces, some have gone out. (After the) 2015 World Cup, we started with a similar cycle.
“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 everybody’s buying into what we’re trying to achieve.
“Yes, there’s going to be hiccups along the way as well, but that’s part and parcel of the game. But we’re definitely focused and really on the ball for whatever lies ahead.”
England’s latest victory was teed up by brutal onslaughts from Brook, especially, and Salt to underpin a total of 236 for four on Monday, the highest at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch by a distance.
The ever-dependable Rashid claimed four for 32 to make sure New Zealand never got close and, after a 65-run win, England went to Auckland on Tuesday with an unassailable 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Rashid is the elder statesman of England’s white-ball teams and, at 37, at an age where he is frequently asked about his future, but following fellow two-time World Cup winners Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes into retirement has not crossed his mind.
“It never has,” the leg-spinner said. “One hundred per cent, I’ve still got the hunger.
“I think when that passion does die down, or whatever it is, that’s when you think ‘OK, right, let’s have a real think about it’.
“Things can change very quickly. It’s very unpredictable in terms of life and cricket. I don’t look too far ahead (but) I’ve got that passion, there’s a lot of cricket yet to be played.”
“Hopefully we can experience some wins and win World Cups – all the good stuff. And I’m looking forward to hopefully participating in that journey.”
While he is eyeing more global honours, Rashid insisted he is not giving much thought to the T20 World Cup early next year, even though England have just one more assignment – against Sri Lanka in January and February – after facing the Black Caps at Eden Park on Thursday.
“It’s long way away,” Rashid added. “We’ve still got this series to win. We’ve got to play good cricket and let things just unfold.”
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