As many as 3 uncapped players have been named in the England squad for the 5-match Test series in India next year. One of them is Somerset off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, another Pakistani-origin player in the mix besides Rehan Ahmed, while the likes of Gus Atkinson and Tom Hartley also earned maiden call-ups.
The criticism mainly comes due to Bashir’s lack of experience in the sport. Many cricket enthusiasts believe that Team England should’ve gone with an experienced all-rounder like Liam Dawson.
England selector Rob Key recently voiced that the team would not be afraid to use Shoaib Bashir against India if the situation demanded. While speaking to The Cricketer, Key had nothing but admiration for his player.
He said, “Someone like Bashir…You think the ceiling is always high…He’s very raw. He’s going for experience as much as anything else, albeit we won’t be afraid to play him if required." He further said, “I think that this is the start of his journey where we’ll see hopefully a world-class spinner in the future."
Who is Shoaib Bashir?
Shoaib Bashir is an English right-arm off-break bowler who was born on October 13, 2003, in Surrey England. Born to a Pakistani couple, Bashir began his cricket career early playing for the Guilford Cricket Club. At the age of 17, Bashir was released by Surrey which led to him joining the Somerset camp. He soon got a new contract ahead of the 2023 season. He has played a total of six first-class and seven List-A games so far which caught the eyes of the English selectors in a training camp that was recently held in Dubai. The six-feet-four bowler also played a crucial role in Somerset’s T20 Blast triumph earlier this year.
While many might be questioning England’s decision over Shoaib Bashir’s selection, India should be on the lookout. The element of the unknown could lead to several problems, given that they suffered something similar in the past. During their Nagpur Test in 2008, Australia’s Jason Krezja took the Men in Blue by surprise. He scalped a total of 12 wickets, eight in the first innings and four in the second, dismissing some of the biggest names like Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, VVS Laxman, Sourav Ganguly and MS Dhoni.
The first Test between India and England will be played at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium starting from January 25. Both teams will be going for a victory to boost their confidence ahead of the upcoming T20I World Cup.
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