In the upcoming second Test against India in Visakhapatnam, 20-year-old off-spinner Shoaib Bashir is set to make his England debut, replacing the injured Jack Leach. Meanwhile, James Anderson returns to the squad in place of Mark Wood. Bashir, who gained attention after a video of his bowling for Somerset was shared on Twitter, has played only six first-class matches. England sees potential in Bashir’s height and spin capabilities, making him an asset in Indian conditions.
England captain Ben Stokes expressed his full support for Bashir, hoping he will put on a noteworthy performance. The decision to include Bashir mirrors the unconventional selection of Lancashire left-arm spinner Tom Hartley in the first Test, where he played a pivotal role with figures of 7-62 in the second innings.
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The England XI for the second Test includes Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Ben Foakes, Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley, Shoaib Bashir, and James Anderson. Leach’s knee injury sustained in the first Test leaves uncertainty about his return.
With Bashir joining the team, England opts for three frontline spinners, emphasizing their strategy for the conditions in India. Bashir, Hartley, and Rehan Ahmed collectively have only three Test caps. In contrast, James Anderson, at 41 years and 187 days, will become the oldest seamer to bowl in a Test in India, earning his 184th cap.
Stokes highlighted Anderson’s wealth of experience and impressive record in India, considering it an asset for the team. England, having analyzed the Visakhapatnam pitch, anticipates it to be drier than before. Despite India making at least two changes due to injuries, England remains cautious after their last tour in 2021, where they lost three consecutive Tests after winning the first.
