Adil Rashid Ruled Out Of England vs Sri Lanka 1st ODI

Adil Rashid to miss 1st ODI vs SL [Source: AFP]England will miss the services of their lead spinner, Adil Rashid, on Tuesday afternoon as the bowler is set to be ruled out of the first ODI against Sri Lanka in Chester-le-Street.As usual, the hosts announced the playing XI a day before, and Rashid’s absence from the list surprised fans.This comes after England decimated the visitors 3-0 in T20Is over the last week, and Rashid was leading the spin attack. He had picked up 2 wickets in 3 matches, conceding at 8.75 runs per over.Why is Adil Rashid ruled out of the 1st ODI vs Sri Lanka?The 38-year-old bowled 8 overs across the three T20Is against Sri Lanka in recent days and showed no signs of fitness concerns. However, on the eve of the ODI series opener, it is learnt that Adil Rashid was not available for selection due to a niggle in his bowling (right) hand.The wrist-spinner will be replaced by a like-for-like option in Rehan Ahmed, who will also provide much more with the bat. Additionally, Will Jacks’ and Joe Root’s off-break bowling also remain handy options for captain Harry Brook in the spin department.Also Read: Jos Buttler Back In Beast Mode To Revive T20 CareerAdil Rashid will be a big miss for EnglandDespite his age, Adil Rashid has been one of England’s best white-ball players for years now, showing his class over and over again, especially when it comes to ODI cricket.As things stand, Adil Rashid is chasing James Anderson’s 269 ODI wickets to become England’s leading wicket-taker in the format. He is at 243 wickets in 164 matches and has conceded 5.64 runs per over, which is commendable control for a wrist-spinner in modern-day white-ball cricket.Although he had a rough time when India toured England earlier this summer and picked only a solitary wicket in three ODIs, he is expected to be the first spinner of their team leading up to the 2027 World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.Massive opportunity for Rehan AhmedComing in as a replacement for veteran spinner Adil Rashid, it will not be easy for Rehan Ahmed to immediately fill his shoes. However, the 22-year-old has been around the England setup for much of the last five years and has made sporadic appearances across formats as Rashid’s understudy.Since his debut in March 2023, Rehan has only played 9 ODI matches and picked 12 wickets, with the best figures of 4/54.In the last year or so, he has been making a name for himself with the bat as well, which also gives him an edge over the players competing for a spot in the roster. He also got an IPL contract earlier this year, which is a testament to his ability and recent form in white-ball cricket.Now, with Rashid out of the first ODI, he would want to make a substantial impact and stay in the periphery of the playing XI, with the World Cup year nearing.England’s Playing XI vs SL- 1st ODIHarry Brook (c), Tom Banton, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Jos Buttler (wk), Will Jacks, Rehan Ahmed, Jamie Overton, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue.Also Read: Japan Predicted Playing XI vs India: One-Off T20I, India Tour Of Japan 2026