The last time England’s men played a one-day international at Chester-le-Street was during the intense heatwave of two summers ago, when temperatures soared above 40C, leaving players struggling. While similar conditions are unlikely on Tuesday, the hosts are feeling the pressure nonetheless. With a 2-0 deficit against Australia and three matches remaining in this autumnal five-match series, Harry Brook’s team has no room for error. So far, the series has been a bit of a mismatch, which was perhaps expected given the disparity in experience. For instance, in the 68-run loss at Headingley, Australia fielded nine players with over 100 ODI caps, while England had only one in Adil Rashid.

Rashid, a top-notch leg-spinner but a lower-order batsman, is currently England’s highest run-scorer in the 50-over format with 853 runs, 205 more than the next best, Phil Salt. With Jos Buttler injured and Joe Root possibly being rested for a potential return in the Champions Trophy next year, it highlights how much Rob Key’s selection panel has reset the team. “We know we’re up against a very strong Australia side who are in great form and we know we have to win,” Rashid said after rain forced England to train indoors at Durham’s Riverside Ground on Monday. “We’ve got to bring our A game in all departments. If we do that, hopefully, we can get a win.”

Rashid’s survival through two failed World Cup defenses in the past year speaks volumes about his enduring quality. The 36-year-old reached his 200th ODI wicket over the weekend when Glenn Maxwell failed to read a slider and was caught in the deep. Among spinners, only Saqlain Mushtaq (101 innings) and Shane Warne (124) have reached the milestone faster than Rashid (131). The lack of a ready replacement—Rehan Ahmed, 20, has been introduced by England but is still developing—and Rashid’s determination to continue also reflect his commitment to the game. “[Two hundred ODI wickets] is a nice achievement but I don’t dwell on it too much,” Rashid said. “I still believe there’s a long way to go for me. I’m not thinking about retirement. I’m playing each game and series as it comes, and if I’m still enjoying it and performing, I’ll keep going.”

On Moeen Ali, Rashid said: “He’s a big loss for the team and for me personally because we’re very close friends on and off the pitch. He’s made his decision and has another chapter in his career, and I’m sure he’ll do wonders. Sometimes it can feel a bit… not lonely, but me and him are very tight. I still speak to him regularly, but it’s different. That’s life; people move on and come in and out. Each individual and the team have to adapt to that.” More urgently, England needs to regain their 50-over batting rhythm, something lost since their World Cup win in 2019 and not helped by the format’s secondary status domestically. Buttler was back in the nets on Monday and should return from injury in the Caribbean this November. In the meantime, a couple of players could do with closing the gap on Rashid’s unlikely records.