Who is Shoaib Bashir? Pakistan-origin spinner to debut for England in Vizag Test against India

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England are set to play the second Test against India in Visakhapatnam starting Friday (February 2). Having won the opening game in Hyderabad and going 1-nil up in the five-match series, the Ben Stokes-led side on Thursday (February 1) announced the playing eleven for the Vizag Test and included young uncapped spinner Shoaib Bashir.

The England squad for the India tour was selected in December 2023 and the biggest surprise inclusion of the squad was the selection of Bashir. Bashir's name made a lot of news ahead of the first Test due to his visa approval issue.

Who is Shoaib Bashir?

Shoaib Bashir is a 20-year-old player who plays for Somerset in county cricket. He was born in England on October 13, 2003, to Pakistani parents but has been brought up there only.

Bashir started his career for Guildford Club in Surrey and was part of Surrey till 17. After Surrey's release, Bashir was snapped up by Somerset. He made his first-class debut in 2023 and was excellent in his very first match, troubling England legend Sir Alastair Cook. He also won the T20 Blast with Somerset in 2023.

Bashir picked up 10 wickets in the county season, but the off-break bowler's impact on the game was far more than the wickets column said. He has 3 List A and 4 T20 wickets to his name. The 20-year-old was part of England's camp in UAE and has managed to get his way into the flight to India.

With just a year of county experience and 10 wickets to his name, Bashir's inclusion in the India tour created shockwaves. The youngster will be the understudy for Jack Leach and Rehan Ahmed for the upcoming Test series against India. Standing 6 feet and 4 inches tall, Bashir can be a huge prospect for England.

What is Shoaib Bashir's Role?

Shoaib Bashir is mainly a spin bowler, but can use the willow lower down the order. His batting stats are extremely modest but the player scored a career-highest 44 runs in one of the county matches.

The youngster has never been shy of expressing his dream of becoming a professional cricketer. "I've always dreamed about being a professional cricketer. It means the world. I'm going to keep working hard, keep grinding and hopefully maintain this level. There is still a lot to work on," Bashir said earlier.

Shoaib Bashir visa issue

The 20-year-old spinner, initially slated to participate in the first Test in Hyderabad, faced a setback when a visa delay left him stranded in the UAE. The ECB later issued a statement confirming the resolution of Shoaib Bashir's visa issues, assuring his forthcoming arrival in India to join the team.

Shoaib Bashir, a rising spinner born in Pakistan, had been selected for England's red-ball squad of sixteen players for the five-match series against India. However, due to complications with his visa approval, he was compelled to return to London.

The issue came to light during England's preparatory camp in Abu Dhabi, where the Somerset off-spinner failed to secure his visa, preventing him from accompanying the team.