Vaughan's stupid opinions do not matter to anybody, says Rashid

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London, July 27: Adil Rashid has claimed Michael Vaughan's opinions "do not matter to anybody" after the England spinner was criticised following his Test recall.

Vaughan branded the decision to call-up Rashid for the first Test with India as a "stab in the back for the county game", while also labelling the 30-year-old "a bit dozy" and "unprofessional".

Rashid's county focus has been solely on white-ball cricket this year and many thought a lack of four-day action for Yorkshire would rule him out of Test contention.

However, the leg-spinner was named in England's 13-man squad on Thursday, having made himself available for the national team.

That decision provoked Vaughan's comments in The Telegraph, but Rashid is not fazed by the former England skipper's attack.

"He can say a lot and he thinks people might listen, but I don't think they do," he told BBC Sport.

"There has been a lot of hoo-ha.

"I don't see what the big deal is, with people talking about me being retired. I didn't say anything about retirement, which some pundits have said.

"It was not an easy decision, but when your country wants you and asks if you are available, you cannot just say no."

Rashid added: "His opinions do not matter to anybody.

"When I mentioned at the start of the year I will not be playing red-ball cricket, he tweeted something then. He was being controversial and saying his stupid things then, too.

"A lot of people have got no interest in what he says. It is about getting people to like what he says.

"I don't think he has an agenda against me. I played under and with him, but sometimes ex-players come out and start talking nonsense about current players.

"If he wants to carry on talking just because he is bored with nothing better to say, then that is his choice.

"There will be people out there who are not happy. There will be haters, like the pundits who are saying it is a disgrace. That is not my fault."