Shoaib Bashir Earns Unexpected Selection in English Ashes Team
England have opted for a 12-man selection just 48 hours ahead of the first Ashes Test, with Shoaib Bashir earning a unexpected place.
The 22-year-old’s inclusion indicates that the tourists will wait until the morning of the first Test to determine whether Perth Stadium conditions suit a pace-heavy attack or the addition of a spin bowler.
Both pace bowlers are included in the selected squad, showing there are no doubts about either pace bowler’s condition.
Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse round out the bowling group, with Carse expected to miss out if Bashir makes the final team.
Pitch Factors Lean Toward Pace Bowlers
The England coach had been expected to opt for an all-seam attack on a ground that has hosted five previous Tests.
In those matches, 134 wickets have fallen to pace bowling, with only a small number to spin bowling.
Among these 40 wickets, the veteran spinner has claimed 29, while all visiting spinners combined have only eight.
On a ground renowned for its pace and bounce, and whose groundsman, the pitch preparer, stated that these traits are “a mainstay and not going to change,” a side loaded with seamers remains the more likely decision.
Spin Options Considered
There had been speculation that Will Jacks could be parachuted into the team to provide some spin while additionally bolstering the lower order.
But McCullum has opted to stick with the young spinner, having said earlier this year that he would be his first-choice spinner for the series.
In July, Lyon described the English spinner as “decent,” saying that “from my perspective, the experienced spinner is still the English best spinner.”
“This is a huge responsibility, and it can be a massive challenge for people who lack experience in the past in Australian pitches,” Lyon remarked of slow bowling in Australian Tests.
“I’m not going to reveal my strategies so opponents come out and perform well out here.”
England 12-man Squad for Opening Match
- The Captain
- Jofra Archer
- The Seamer
- Shoaib Bashir
- The Batsman
- The Fast Bowler
- Zak Crawley
- Ben Duckett
- The Middle-Order
- Joe Root
- The Wicketkeeper
- The Speedster
