Adil Rashid should start, but only if he proves his form is intact. England’s middle overs need a wicket-taking leg-spinner, and Rashid is the one candidate who brings that threat, while Liam Dawson offers control and batting depth from a much smaller body of work. The Australia series will test the case long before the tournament does. Rashid played once in the Pakistan tri-series, whereas Dawson finished it as England’s top wicket-taker, so the old pecking order no longer holds without a fight.
England’s Selection Puzzle Ahead of Australia
England’s spin order is wide open after the Pakistan tri-series. Rashid, the country’s second-highest wicket-taker in the format, played only one of the four games, while Dawson claimed seven wickets at 21.42 and topped England’s list. Brook has picked both men for the trip to Australia, where Perth hosts the opener on 13 November, Adelaide follows two days later and Hobart stages the finale on 18 November.
Brook treats Rashid as a pitch-by-pitch selection rather than an automatic pick. Those three matches will give selectors the first clean look at both men against strong batting before anything is decided, and the matter is no longer about reputation but about which bowler solves England’s problems.
A Veteran’s Career and Recent Slump
Rashid has led England’s white-ball spin for more than ten years, and career numbers of 244 wickets, an average of 31.79 and an economy rate of 5.65 show why. The recent run is shakier, with 12 wickets at 39.58 in his last ten ODIs and 6.01 conceded per over.
An 87-run loss to Pakistan in Rawalpindi on 20 October brought him figures of 1 for 55 off eight overs. England sat him out for the following three matches even though he was fit, and McCullum, the head coach, pointed to the pitches, arguing that leg-spin hardly figured in the series. Against Western Australia he has taken 4 for 35, though that was a 12-a-side practice fixture and not an ODI, so selectors can treat it only as a gentle signal.
Rashid vs Dawson ODI World Cup 2027 spinner
Rashid has the edge for volume, Dawson for economy, yet the left-armer’s sample is small. Dawson, now 36, has packed 37 of his 57 international appearances into the years since his 35th birthday. Across the tri-series he conceded exactly five runs an over, and his 4 for 49 versus Sri Lanka was the display behind England’s only victory on that Pakistan trip.
Batting adds to his appeal, with 22 professional centuries to his name and in July he played a rearguard innings of 68 against India. Rashid answers a different need. Wickets in the middle overs have been England’s weak point, and a leg-spinner is the type of bowler who gets them.
Spinner | ODI Matches | Wickets | Economy | Bowling Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Adil Rashid | 165 | 244 | 5.65 | 31.79 |
Liam Dawson | 14 | 19 | 5.17 | 31.00 |
Conditions in Southern Africa May Settle It
Twelve venues will host the 2027 tournament between 4 October and 21 November: South Africa has eight, Zimbabwe three and Namibia one. The timing, at the front end of the region’s season, matters for selection, because fitting two spinners into the side would leave England 30 overs of seam bowling where they might want 40.
Rashid has been here before, collecting 3 for 51 at the Wanderers in 2020, in a game that was his 100th ODI, with de Kock and Bavuma among his victims. The Wanderers is on the 2027 list. Dawson’s southern African experience is domestic only: on his Mountaineers debut in Zimbabwe he took 7 for 51 in 2011, plus time at Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20 in 2023/24. With no ODI numbers for either man in Zimbabwe or Namibia, any conclusion rests on thin evidence.
The Case for Backing the Veteran
Rashid gets the nod. Middle-overs wickets are England’s biggest need, and Rashid, who owns 244 ODI wickets and a good Wanderers record, supplies more of them than Dawson’s skiddy left-arm approach, which McCullum felt suited Pakistan’s surfaces.
Dawson makes more sense as the second spinner, or as the alternative when pitches are slow and low, because his economy and batting travel well. Rashid still has to prove that his form has not slipped, and a weak showing in Australia would reopen the Rashid vs Dawson ODI World Cup 2027 spinner argument.
Is Rashid’s wicket-taking threat worth more than Dawson’s control and batting? Tell us in the comments.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who is England’s number one ODI spinner right now?
Adil Rashid holds the role on reputation, but selection is currently made game by game. Dawson took his place in three of the four Pakistan tri-series matches, which shows how open the position has become.
Is Adil Rashid still part of England’s ODI squad?
Yes, he is one of 16 players selected for the Australia series. The three ODIs begin in Perth on 13 November, and Brook may choose him depending on the pitch.
How good is Liam Dawson in one-day cricket?
He has 19 ODI wickets from 14 matches at an average of 31.00. His economy is 5.17, and his best figures, 4 for 49, came against Sri Lanka.
On which dates will the 2027 World Cup be played?
Play starts on 4 October 2027, and the event wraps up on 21 November. The tournament uses 12 venues across three countries, and it begins early in the region’s season.
Which countries will host the 2027 World Cup matches?
South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia share hosting duties, with 14 teams taking part. South Africa stages eight of the 12 venues in total, while Zimbabwe has three and Namibia has one.