Need to go back to county circuit and earn place back in Test team, states Adil Rashid

Adil Rashid has ruled himself out of the Test squad to tour Sri Lanka, stating that he needs to return to county cricket, perform in the circuit and earn his spot back in the Test team. Rashid, in 2018, announced his retirement from the red-ball format to prolong his white-ball career but was forced to come out of retirement by the English selectors, who picked the leggie for the four-Test series against England.

Rashid has not played red-ball cricket since England's tour of Windies in early 2019 and stated that it'll be unfair for him to be in the Test squad without having enough red-ball games under his belt. 

"That's something (a place in the Test team) that I personally feel I've got to earn again," Rashid said in a news conference, reported ESPN Cricinfo.

"I've got to go back into maybe county cricket, get the performances under my belt and then get selected on merit. I think if the selectors do come up and ask, 'Are you available, can you play', for me that would be a straight no, I can't, because I feel as if I've got to deserve my place back in the team." 

Rashid, who played first-class cricket more than a year ago, has been included in the Test squad on previous occasions despite lack of red-ball action but is unwilling to benefit from a similar situation again. He further attested that his focus, as of this moment, will be on white-ball cricket.

"I think it's a bit unfair for me to just say 'Yeah, I'm available'. At this moment in time, I'm really concentrating on white-ball cricket. Maybe in the future [I will return to Test cricket]."

England will play two Tests in Sri Lanka next month, with the first Test starting on March 19 in Galle.