Adil Rashid will be a world-class cricketer within two seasons of playing regularly for Yorkshire.

That is the opinion of Headingley wicketkeeper Gerard Brophy, who has had the best view in the house of Rashid’s recent form with both red and white balls.

Brophy believes the 22-year-old Bradfordian has benefited from the rigours of a county season, rather than carrying the drinks and net bowling with the England squad.

“My view is that the pressure was too much for a young leg-spinner when they (England) did pick him,” said Brophy.

“They’ve done the right thing in allowing him to play county cricket for Yorkshire. A year or two of him doing this will see him be world-class.”

Despite not being picked in any England or even England Lions squads this summer, there will be plenty of people pushing Rashid’s claims for a seat on the plane to Australia for the Ashes defence in the winter.

But Brophy said: “I wouldn’t take him, although it’s only my opinion. It would be great for him personally to go on an Ashes tour.”

Rashid has been away in previous winters on tours to South Africa and the West Indies but has only played one one-day international and one Twenty20 international outside of this country.

“You can see that every time he goes away during the winter, it takes him three or four weeks to get back into the swing of things here,” said Brophy.

“But if he gets 70/80 wickets this season, then they would probably have to pick him because he’s your best bowler.”

Rashid has really sparked into life in the last six weeks or so, which has coincided with the Friends Provident Twenty20 competition – and Brophy’s aforementioned three or four-week time frame for Rashid to find his rhythm.

He has also bowled like a dream in the last two LV= County Championship matches, against Roses rivals Lancashire at Old Trafford and Warwickshire at Headingley.

Brophy said: “Bowling in Twenty20 is difficult enough for seamers and offies (off-spinners) but it’s a hell of a thing for a leg-spinner. His results have been quite incredible.

“We’ve been going around the park early doors but Adil and Rich Pyrah have come on and kept things nice and tight for us.”