England men’s cricket team head coach, Brendon McCullum, has said that Shoaib Bashir is part of his plans for the second Test match against India, commencing on February 2. McCullum has also suggested the possibility of fielding an all-spin attack for the Vizag Test to defend their 1-0 lead in the ongoing five-match series.
In the first Test in Hyderabad, England secured a memorable 28-run victory, with Ollie Pope and Tom Hartley playing crucial roles. The visiting team opted for three frontline spinners – Jack Leach, Rehan Ahmed, and Tom Hartley – and had Joe Root as their fourth spin-bowling option, with Mark Wood being the sole seamer. However, Leach’s participation in the second Test is uncertain due to a knee injury he sustained while fielding in India’s first innings. In light of this, England welcomed Bashir, an uncapped off-spinner, to the squad.
McCullum, speaking on Senz Radio, said, “When he (Bashir) arrived, boys gave him a huge cheer, and he got to witness something pretty special with the fellas bowling us to a Test win. He comes into calculations for the next Test match. If the wickets continue to spin as much as what we saw in the first Test as the series goes on, look, we won’t be afraid to play all spinners or a balance of what we’ve got.”
Like Hartley, Bashir, standing at 6’ 4”, is tall and has a uniquely high release point. This attribute can create more indecision in the minds of Indian batters. He was unavailable for the first Test as he flew back to the UK to sort out his visa issue.