01 February,2024 05:37 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Ben Stokes, Shoaib Bahsir (Pic: File Pic)
England captain Ben Stokes revealed that he discovered off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, who is set to debut in the IND vs ENG 2nd Test. Both teams will face each other in Visakhapatnam.
With a 1-0 lead in the five-match test series, England will be riding high on the confidence. Bashir will replace Jack Leach in the IND vs ENG 2nd Test.
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Despite a limited track record in first-class cricket, which is 10 wickets in six appearances, Bashir impressed in pre-series training camp at Abu Dhabi. Stokes first floated the youngster's name six months back after watching a video of him bowling to England legend Alastair Cook during his first Somerset appearance.
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"To be perfectly honest, our training camp in Abu Dhabi was the first real live look I got at Bash," Stokes said, according to Sky Sports.
"The first time I saw him was on Twitter. I think the County Championship put a little clip together of him bowling against Alastair. I just saw something. With the height he bowled from, it was very obvious that he put a lot of action, a lot of revolutions, on the ball."
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"I am in a WhatsApp group with [director of cricket] Rob Key and Baz [McCullum]. So I actually did forward the clip on and said, 'Have a look at this, this could be something we could work with on our India tour'. It just progressed from there," he concluded.
England's veteran fast bowler James Anderson is all set to make a return to the team. Wicketless Mark Wood from the first test match will make way for Anderson.
England will be heading in the IND vs ENG 2nd Test with three spin troika and one pacer. Batsman Joe Root also has the ability to contribute with the ball.
IND vs ENG 2nd Test Squad
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (c), Ben Foakes, Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley, Shoaib Bashir, James Anderson.
(With ANI Inputs)
