‘I still have 100% passion’: England’s evergreen Rashid is not finished yet

Following over 16 seasons from his first appearance, Adil Rashid might be excused for growing weary of the international cricket treadmill. Now in New Zealand for his 35th international T20 series or tournament, he outlines that busy, routine existence when talking about the team-bonding mini‑break in Queenstown with which England started their winter: “Occasionally, such chances are rare when constantly traveling,” he says. “You arrive, practice, compete, and move on.”

However, his passion is obvious, not merely when he reflects on the near-term prospects of a squad that looks to be blooming guided by Harry Brook and his individual spot on it, plus when seeing Rashid drill, perform, or spin. But while he was able to stop New Zealand in their tracks as they aimed to overhaul England’s monumental 236 at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Monday night, when his four‑wicket haul included all but one of their five highest scorers, no action can prevent the passage of time.

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In February, Rashid hits the age of 38, halfway into the T20 World Cup. Once the following 50-over World Cup is held in late 2027 he’ll be close to 40. His longtime friend and present podcast colleague Moeen Ali, just a few months his senior, retired from international cricket last year. But Rashid remains integral: those four wickets took him to 19 so far this year, six more than any other Englishman. Only three English bowlers have taken so many T20 international wickets in a calendar year: Graeme Swann in 2010, Sam Curran in 2022, and Rashid in 2021, 2022, 2024 and now 2025. But there are still no thoughts of the end; his focus remains on bringing down opponents, not curtains.

“Absolutely, I maintain the desire, the eagerness to compete for England and stand for my country,” Rashid declares. “As an individual, I think that’s the biggest achievement in any sport. I still have that passion there for England. I feel that once the passion fades, or whatever occurs, then you reflect: ‘Okay, time to genuinely evaluate it’. At the moment I haven’t really thought of anything else. I hold that drive, and much cricket remains.

“I aim to belong to this side, this roster we possess today, along the forthcoming path we tread, which ought to be rewarding and I intend to contribute. With luck, we can achieve victories and secure World Cups, all the positive outcomes. And I await hopefully joining that expedition.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen. Just ahead, situations can shift rapidly. Existence and cricket are highly uncertain. I always like to stay present – a game at a time, a step at a time – and permit matters to evolve, watch where the game and life guide me.”

From several perspectives, this isn’t the moment to consider conclusions, but instead of starts: a fresh team with a new captain, a new coach and new horizons. “We are embarked on that path,” Rashid notes. “A handful of fresh members exist. Some have gone out, some have come in, and that’s simply part of the rotation. But we’ve got experience, we’ve got youth, we feature top-tier cricketers, we’ve got Brendon McCullum, who’s a very, very good coach, and all are committed to our goals. Indeed, setbacks will occur on the path, that’s inherent to the sport, but we are surely dedicated and completely prepared, for whatever lies ahead.”

The desire to schedule that Queenstown trip, and the appointment of previous All Blacks mindset trainer Gilbert Enoka, indicates a special emphasis on building extra from this team beyond a playing eleven. and Rashid feels this is a distinct asset of McCullum’s.

“We sense we are a cohesive group,” he conveys. “We experience a familial atmosphere, encouraging each other no matter success or failure, whether your day is positive or negative. We strive to confirm we follow our ethics in that manner. Let’s ensure we remain united, that cohesion we share, that camaraderie.

“It’s a great quality, each person defends their teammates and that’s the culture Baz and we seek to form, and we have built. And hopefully we can, regardless of whether we have a good day or a bad day.

“Baz is very composed, laid-back, but he is sharp in his mentoring role, he is focused in that aspect. And he wants to create that environment. Certainly, we are at ease, we are cool, but we confirm that when we step onto the ground we are attentive and we are giving our all. A lot of credit goes to Baz for creating that environment, and with hope, we can continue that for much more time.”