Shoaib Bashir Makes Unexpected Selection in England's Ashes Team
The English team has opted for a twelve-player selection just two days ahead of the first Ashes Test, with the 22-year-old spinner securing a unexpected place.
The 22-year-old’s inclusion indicates that the visiting team will wait until the morning of the initial match to determine whether the venue conditions suit four seamers or the inclusion of a spinner.
Both pace bowlers are part of the selected group, showing there are no doubts about their fast bowler's condition.
Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse round out the bowling group, with the latter most likely to miss out if Bashir makes the starting XI.
Pitch Factors Favor Seamers
The England coach had been anticipated to opt for an pace-only lineup on a venue that has hosted five past matches.
In those games, 134 wickets have been taken by seamers, with only a small number to spin bowling.
Of those 40 wickets, the veteran spinner has taken 29, while overseas slow bowlers combined have just a handful.
At a venue renowned for its speed and carry, and whose groundsman, the pitch preparer, stated that these characteristics are “permanent and not going to change,” a side relying on fast bowlers is still the probable choice.
Spin Options Weighed
There had been speculation that Will Jacks could be parachuted into the team to offer some spin while also bolstering the lower order.
However the coach has chosen to keep faith with the young spinner, having said earlier this year that he would be his preferred spinner for the series.
Earlier, Lyon described Bashir as “OK,” adding that “from my perspective, Jack Leach is still England’s top slow bowler.”
“It is a massive role, and it can be a massive challenge for bowlers who haven’t done it in the previous in these conditions,” he remarked of spin bowling in matches Down Under.
“I won't reveal my strategies so they perform and excel out here.”
English 12-man Squad for First Ashes Test
- Ben Stokes (c)
- Jofra Archer
- The Seamer
- The Spinner
- Harry Brook
- Brydon Carse
- Zak Crawley
- Ben Duckett
- Ollie Pope
- The Veteran
- Jamie Smith (wk)
- Mark Wood
