The Young Spinner Earns Surprise Selection in England's Test Series Team
The English team has opted for a 12-man selection just two days ahead of the opening Test match, with Shoaib Bashir securing a surprise spot.
The 22-year-old’s inclusion suggests that the visiting team will wait until the day of the initial match to determine whether Perth Stadium conditions favor four seamers or the inclusion of a spinner.
Both pace bowlers are part of the selected squad, indicating there are no concerns about their pace bowler’s fitness.
Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse complete the attack, with Carse most likely to be omitted if the spinner enters the starting XI.
Pitch Factors Favor Pace Bowlers
The England coach had been expected to opt for an all-seam attack on a venue that has hosted several previous Tests.
During these matches, the majority of dismissals have fallen to seamers, with only a small number to spin bowling.
Of those spin dismissals, Australia’s Nathan Lyon has taken the bulk, while all visiting spinners combined have just a handful.
On a ground renowned for its pace and bounce, and whose curator, the pitch preparer, pledged that these characteristics are “permanent and not going to change,” a team loaded with seamers remains the more likely decision.
Alternative Choices Weighed
There had been speculation that the all-rounder could be parachuted into the side to offer some spin while also bolstering the lower order.
However McCullum has opted to stick with the young spinner, having said previously that he would be his first-choice slow bowler for the series.
In July, Lyon commented on the English spinner as “OK,” adding that “from my perspective, the experienced spinner is still the English top slow bowler.”
“It is a massive role, and it can be a significant test for people who lack experience in the past in these conditions,” Lyon remarked of slow bowling in matches Down Under.
“I won't let my secrets out so they perform and excel out here.”
England Selected Team for Opening Match
- The Captain
- Jofra Archer
- The Seamer
- Shoaib Bashir
- The Batsman
- The Fast Bowler
- The Opener
- Ben Duckett
- The Middle-Order
- The Veteran
- The Wicketkeeper
- Mark Wood
