Young spinners in England will always make headlines if they take wickets - when it's a young legspinner the hype is magnified. Adil Rashid, a product of the spin programme Terry Jenner put in place, burst onto the scene with six wickets against Warwickshire during his first-class debut in 2006 and he finished the summer with 25 wickets in six Championship appearances. His performances for England Under-19s also caught the eye with a century and an eight-wicket haul during the second Test against India. He suffered a stress fracture in his back in the close season which forced him to remodel his action, which is now more side-on. His profile rose exponentially in 2007 when he struck his maiden Championship century against Worcestershire in August and at the end of the season he was awarded the prestigious title of Cricket Writers' Club 2007 Young Cricketer of the Year. In 2008 he enjoyed his most prolific season with 62 in the County Championship and was a late addition to the squad for the Test series in India. That trip was purely for experience, but he was then named to tour West Indies. It's not a question of if he will make his debut, just when. |