• Former captain backs ‘improved’ spinner against India • ‘I think we’ve got to look at the positives of it,’ he adds

Alastair Cook knows a thing or two about mental fortitude and has tipped Adil Rashid to block out the furore surrounding his controversial call-up in the build-up to the first Test of this summer’s marquee series between England and India.

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The former Test captain admitted to having sympathy for Rashid, whose return has sparked anger at Yorkshire and divided opinion across the game given the leg-spinner opted out of four-day cricket for his county at the start of this year yet could still be unleashed against Virat Kohli’s world No 1 side at Edgbaston this Wednesday.

Speaking before training on Monday, Cook looked to bring the focus back to the individual and his talents, while pointing to the “unusual circumstances” behind England’s national selector, Ed Smith, turning to a supposed white-ball specialist amid a lack of overs for Somerset’s previously injured left-armer, Jack Leach, in the past month.

“In one sense I feel a little bit sorry for Adil and all the political side of the selection, rather than looking at him,” said Cook, who handed Rashid his Test debut back in 2015 and captained him for all 10 of his previous appearances. “He’s been selected to play for England, which is a huge honour, and all this other stuff has overtaken it.

“I can understand why it’s caused a bit of fuss. But you just have to get on with it and I think we’ve got to look at the positives of it: we’ve got a different style of English spinner, with a little bit of mystery to him, who’s bowling really well. That is what we should be excited about – not what’s happening with the off-field stuff, Yorkshire and all that.”

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With his county deal up at the end of the season, Rashid’s representatives are due to meet Yorkshire’s hierarchy to discuss the current impasse or perhaps, as many believe will be the case unless a rumoured personality clash with the head coach, Andrew Gale, is resolved, his possible departure from Headingley.

The England management privately view the issue to be between the player and his county and thus to have not picked their preferred option would have been a case of taking sides. The situation has, however, prompted future international selections to require a player’s availability along the lines of relevant format.

Such issues rumbling away in the background, and the fact that three former captains in Michael Vaughan, Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain have all spoken out against his inclusion, have doubtless heightened the pressure on Rashid, though, along with this week being his first bowl with a red Dukes ball since last September.

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Cook admitted this may have worried him in the past – in his last Test as England captain Rashid faded a touch during a hammering by India in Chennai, despite taking 23 wickets across the 4-0 series defeat in 2016 – but he now sees a more confident cricketer who is emboldened by his recent limited-overs success.

“Over the last 18 months I think he’s matured as a cricketer and improved since we last saw him in an England Test shirt,” said Cook, whose own 156-cap career has featured periods of intense pressure over form, his past leadership and the divisive Kevin Pietersen affair. “Clearly he’s going to be nervous because it’s a bit of time away from the England team and with the current circumstances. But I genuinely think he will cope.”

England will monitor the Edgbaston pitch ahead of the toss on Wednesday, with a greenish surface unveiled on Monday following a weekend of rain but two months of heat beforehand; should they opt for one spinner, and go for Moeen Ali, expect the emotions at Headingley to crank up a notch or two.

Away from the spin department, the captain, Joe Root, and the head coach, Trevor Bayliss, must also decide their third seamer from Sam Curran or the uncapped Jamie Porter. Cook of course plays with the latter at Essex.

Cook said: “You talk about the Adil selection but there’s a guy who has been produced by county cricket: a really good English bowler. He challenges the top order to play at a lot of balls and nips it around with the new Dukes ball. He’s an absolute trier.

“When I first saw him, you’d never have said he would be in this situation. So it’s only down to the way he’s worked and the unwavering belief that he can get good players out with good balls. If he gets his chance this week or whenever, I’ll be very proud.”