Shoaib Bashir, the 21-year-old spin magician from England, will be absent for the ongoing Test series against Australia. He ended up with a broken left pinkie finger. The injury occurred on day three of England’s recent victory in the third Test at Lord’s, when Bashir attempted to catch a ball off his own bowling. He’s set to have surgery later in the week to repair the fracture.
Bashir’s injury marks a significant setback for the young player, who has participated in all of England’s Tests since the fourth match of their tour of India in February 2024. Well, he showed great courage facing the music by taking guard on day four of this Test match. Even with the injury he made his presence felt, scoring 2 runs from 9 balls.
Bashir’s recent performances on stage have been captivating. During his short Test career so far, he has picked up 10 wickets at an average of 54.10, giving away 541 runs in the process. While he has shown promise, he is not considered the first-choice spinner at his county, Somerset, where he has had to go out on loan to gain valuable experience.
“He’s 21 years old, he’s got a very badly broken finger,” – Ben Stokes
Bashir’s international career had seen him play alongside former Surreysider Liam Dawson in Pakistan last fall. He had joined an outward bound tour of New Zealand prior to Christmas. The likes of him this summer as he and his 17-year-old brother Farhan, an off-spinner, did for England Lions vs India A.
As England heads into the final stages of their series, the lack of Bashir will certainly be missed. That leaves the team with much less than 2009 as they mull their replacement options. Importantly, his contributions as a leg-spin bowler have been vital to their strategy.
Stokes highlighted Bashir’s determination during the match despite his injury.
“To even walk out there and bat. He didn’t even ask, he got his pads on, and got his finger strapped up.” – Ben Stokes
As England prepares for the next stages of their series, the absence of Bashir will undoubtedly be felt. The team will need to consider their options for replacement, given that his contributions as a leg-spin bowler have been integral to their strategy.
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