Richardson not keen to follow Rashid path

Australian Twenty20 paceman Kane Richardson says he has no plans to abandon his Test ambitions after finding success as a white-ball specialist.

England leg-spinner Adil Rashid this week made the shock decision to opt out of playing first-class cricket for county side Yorkshire in 2018, preferring to focus his attentions on limited overs formats.

Rashid's decision was particularly surprising given the uncertainty around England's first-choice Test spinner after a horror Ashes series for allrounder Moeen Ali.

It also raised questions about whether others might follow suit given the demands of playing in three formats and the opportunity to make big money in domestic T20 leagues.

A highly-effective short-form bowler, Richardson might seem a prime candidate to fall into that category with a pack of world-class quicks ahead of him in the Test cricket pecking order.

But speaking after Australia's T20 tri-series win over New Zealand in Auckland, the South Australian said he hadn't given up hope of one day earning a Baggy Green.

"For (Rashid), he's played Test cricket so it's easier knowing that you've tried it, you've tasted it, you've done it," Richardson said.

"I want to perform in an arena I haven't performed in, and that's four-day cricket into five-day cricket.

"I'd probably regret making that call, especially now. I'm only 27, (so) maybe in a couple of years but we'll hopefully get there (Test cricket) one day."

Richardson's commitment to red-ball cricket was emphasised when he opted out of this year's IPL auction to focus on playing for the West End Redbacks in the JLT Sheffield Shield.

Australia will host the World T20 in two years' time with Richardson determined not to miss out.

"For me, I can't just say I want to be a T20 bowler. I want to play everything I can and take as many wickets I can in all the forms," Richardson said.

"That T20 World Cup is a massive one, I want to be in a World Cup, whether or not I play in it, I want to be around it.

"I don't know if missing Shield cricket will help that goal. You've got to keep playing and performing. Maybe after that, we'll have a look at it."

Trans-Tasman T20 Tri-Series

First T20I Australia beat New Zealand by seven wickets. Scorecard

Second T20I Australia beat England by five wickets. Scorecard

Third T20I Australia beat England by seven wickets. Scorecard

Fourth T20I New Zealand beat England by 12 runs. Scorecard

Fifth T20I Australia beat New Zealand by five wickets. Scorecard

Sixth T20I NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18. Scorecard

Final Australia v TBC, Eden Park, February 21. Scorecard

Australia squad: David Warner (c), Aaron Finch (vc), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Travis Head, Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, D'Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa.

England squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Dawid Malan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Vince, David Willey, Mark Wood.

New Zealand squad: Kane Williamson (c), Tom Blundell, Trent Boult, Tom Bruce, Colin de Grandhomme, Martin Guptill, Anaru Kitchen, Colin Munro, Seth Rance, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Ben Wheeler.