JASON Gillespie believes Bradford's Adil Rashid can follow Liam Plunkett's lead and shine for England again.

The Yorkshire coach says his leg-spinner, 26, is now bowling better than at any other stage since the Australian took charge ahead of 2012.

Although Rashid has only taken 12 wickets in eight LV= County Championship matches this term, he has bowled better than his return suggests, and he has been particularly impressive in Twenty20.

He has taken five wickets from four matches, including 2-19 and 2-22 in wins against Derbyshire and Lancashire.

Rashid, however, is missing today's Championship match against Sussex at Arundel due to the impending birth of his first child.

He has not yet played a Test for England, but he played five one-day and five T20 internationals in 2009.

"I don't know (how far away from an England recall he is), but he has bowled the best he's bowled since I've been at the club," said Gillespie.

"He hasn't got the rewards for it because of how the games have been going, and he hasn't had the opportunity to bowl. I actually thought at Lord's he was probably the man most likely to get Chris Rogers out when he got that double hundred.

"He just hasn't had the overs. He will have an impact when the wickets bake a bit.

"Rash has scored runs batting number six and seven for Yorkshire on surfaces that probably favour bowling, going out and being aggressive and playing some good knocks.

"I would prefer him to play for Yorkshire, but he wouldn't let England down. I think he's in a really good place with his cricket.

"He's bowling well and scored some runs. Most importantly, he's happy with his cricket.

"People may look at statistics and see he averages 40 with the ball, but stats can say anything. If you watch how he's bowling, how he's getting his wickets is the most pleasing thing.

"He's giving the ball some air, he's spinning it hard, and if a wicket deteriorates over five days, those sort of lads that can spin the ball hard and get appreciable turn come into their own."

Yorkshire are five points behind Division One leaders Somerset ahead of their ninth match.

Yorks 12-man squad v Sussex: Gale capt, Bairstow wkt, Bresnan, Brooks, Finch, Leaning, Lees, Lyth, Patterson, Pyrah, Rafiq, Shaw.