Shoaib Bashir Earns Surprise Inclusion in England's Test Series Squad
The English team has chosen a 12-man selection just two days before the opening Test match, with Shoaib Bashir securing a unexpected spot.
Bashir's inclusion suggests that the visiting team will delay until the morning of the initial match to determine whether the venue pitch suit a pace-heavy attack or the inclusion of a spin bowler.
Both pace bowlers are included in the selected squad, showing there are no doubts about their fast bowler's fitness.
Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse complete the bowling group, with Carse expected to miss out if the spinner makes the final team.
Pitch Factors Lean Toward Pace Bowlers
Brendon McCullum had been expected to choose an all-seam attack on a venue that has staged several past matches.
In those matches, 134 wickets have been taken by seamers, with only a small number to spin.
Of those spin dismissals, Australia’s Nathan Lyon has claimed 29, while all visiting spinners combined have just a handful.
At a venue renowned for its pace and bounce, and whose curator, Isaac McDonald, pledged that these characteristics are “permanent and not going to change,” a side loaded with seamers remains the probable choice.
Alternative Choices Considered
There had been speculation that Will Jacks could be parachuted into the side to provide some slow bowling while also strengthening the lower order.
But the coach has opted to stick with Bashir, having said previously that he would be his first-choice slow bowler for the Ashes.
In July, Nathan Lyon described Bashir as “OK,” adding that “from my perspective, Jack Leach is still England’s top slow bowler.”
“This is a huge responsibility, and it can be a significant test for people who lack experience in the past in Australian pitches,” he said of slow bowling in Australian Tests.
“I won't let my secrets out so they perform and excel out here.”
English 12-man Squad for First Ashes Test
- The Captain
- The Pace Bowler
- The Seamer
- Shoaib Bashir
- Harry Brook
- Brydon Carse
- Zak Crawley
- Ben Duckett
- Ollie Pope
- The Veteran
- Jamie Smith (wk)
- The Speedster