Adil Rashid has backed fellow England spin bowler Shoaib Bashir to bounce back from his Ashes disappointment as he embarks on a new stage of his career with Derbyshire, urging him to "keep working on his craft".
Bashir had been England's No 1 slow bowler in Test cricket since 2024 but missed the second half of last year's home Test series against India after sustaining a fractured finger.
The 22-year-old was selected in the Ashes squad but did not play a Test in Australia with off-spinning all-rounder Will Jacks featuring in four matches of the thumping 4-1 defeat.
Bashir has since joined Derbyshire on a two-year deal after being released by Somerset and will look to press for an England recall ahead of the home series against New Zealand in June.
Rashid, England's leading white-ball spinner who is currently preparing for the, live on Your Site, said of Bashir: "That happens in Test cricket.
"You go overseas and you're not picked for a game. Other players have gone away and not played a game, so he's in that same boat where he didn't get an opportunity.
"I'm sure he'll go back and keep working hard and be ready for the next one."
On the challenge for red-ball spinners in England, Rashid added: "It's always been that thing where we're pretty unfortunate, I'd say, in England, especially in county cricket, where April, May, June can be more so for the seamers.
"The spinners can come on now and then and bowl a few overs here and there. That obviously doesn't help but I think that's part and parcel of the game.
"As a spinner, then you have to learn to say, 'OK, first month and a half, I might not bowl much but I'm still working behind closed doors, I'm still working on my craft'."
Leg-spinner Rashid bagged 3-19 on Friday as, with the tourists now looking to wrap up a series win with a game to spare with victory in Sunday's second match at the same venue (1.30pm UK).
Rashid and fellow spinner Liam Dawson ensured Sri Lanka lost wickets in five consecutive overs in the opening T20.
The Yorkshireman added: "Dawson sometimes bowls the hard overs early on, bowling in the powerplay.
"We complement each other fairly well and we talk to each other quite a bit as well - what's required, what he reckons.
"We're spinners and good friends. We've got that relationship where we can discuss things, see something on the pitch. I give him info, he gives me info and it goes back and forth. So far, it's gone well."
All times UK and Ireland
All times UK and Ireland; all games live on Your Site
