Shoaib Bashir Makes Unexpected Selection in English Test Series Team
The English team has opted for a 12-man squad just 48 hours before the opening Test match, with the 22-year-old spinner earning a unexpected place.
Bashir's inclusion indicates that the visiting team will wait until the day of the initial match to decide whether Perth Stadium pitch suit four seamers or the inclusion of a spinner.
Both pace bowlers are included in the 12-man group, showing there are no doubts about either pace bowler’s fitness.
The other seamers round out the attack, with the latter expected to be omitted if Bashir makes the starting XI.
Ground Conditions Favor Pace Bowlers
Brendon McCullum had been anticipated to opt for an all-seam attack on a venue that has staged five previous Tests.
In those games, 134 wickets have been taken by pace bowling, with only 40 to spin.
Among these spin dismissals, Australia’s Nathan Lyon has claimed 29, while all visiting spinners combined have just a handful.
At a venue known for its pace and bounce, and whose curator, Isaac McDonald, stated that these traits are “permanent and not going to change,” a side loaded with seamers remains the probable choice.
Spin Options Considered
Previously there was rumors that the all-rounder could be brought into the side to offer some slow bowling while also bolstering the lower order.
But McCullum has chosen to stick with the young spinner, having said previously that he would be his preferred slow bowler for the series.
In July, Nathan Lyon described Bashir as “decent,” adding that “in my eyes, Jack Leach is still England’s best spinner.”
“It is a huge responsibility, and it can be a massive challenge for people who lack experience in the past in these conditions,” Lyon said of spin bowling in Australian Tests.
“I’m not going to let my secrets out so they perform and excel out here.”
English 12-man Squad for First Ashes Test
- Ben Stokes (c)
- The Pace Bowler
- Gus Atkinson
- Shoaib Bashir
- Harry Brook
- Brydon Carse
- Zak Crawley
- The Batsman
- The Middle-Order
- The Veteran
- The Wicketkeeper
- Mark Wood