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[EXCLUSIVE] "I learned more about myself after my debut": Shoaib Bashir

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It can not be easy, making your international debut at just 20 years old and bowling off-spin to the likes of Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal. However, Shoaib Bashir managed to meet the moment, taking 17 wickets in just 3 Test matches including two five-wicket hauls in his first Test tour against India, a team reputed for being excellent players of spin.

Bashir joins PakPassion for an exclusive interview where he talks about his background, how he became a professional cricketer, his international debut, and much more.​

Some of the Topics discussed:

Pakistan Heritage and Cricket Background: Discusses his cricket journey and his Test debut for England against India.

Cricketing Influences and Role Models: Discusses who inspired him to be an off-spinner.

Personal Growth and Cricket Journey: Discusses about his hard work, and positivity to navigate increasing expectations and his desire to play against Pakistan.

Watch Saj's complete interview with the young spin sensation here:

 
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I liked his approach and attitude, that even the delay of his visa during the India tour didn't impact his game, and he is even taking positives out of it.
 
"I used to watch the highlights of Swann a lot and more recently watching Nathon Lyon ball.. is something that I wanted to add to my game" Shoaib Bashir

To be fair, Shoaib has the genes of greatness but to reach at the level of Swann he needs to work a lot harder. Very few bowlers can turn the ball both way around with slight change of action but if he could master that then certainly he would be the Swann of the future for England.
 
Just 20 and already bowling like a pro to some of the biggest names in cricket that too in their own backyard! Bagging 17 wickets in his first 3 Test matches, including two five-fers against India, that’s some serious skills right there. Taking 2 fifers in 3 test matches against a batting side who is know to play spin the best is nothing but hardwood and dedication towards the game.

Waiting for him to face the Pakistan side.
 
I'm curious to see how how plays in England on pitches that don't offer too much to the spin bowlers. I think that will be his real test.
 
Shoaib bashir to play first Test on home soil against West Indies at the iconic stadium of Lords. First Test starting on July 10th
 
Former England captain Michael Vaughan has been left baffled by England's squad selection for the Test series against the West Indies, he said while speaking on a podcast:

"They are not looking at County cricket. They are just looking at the players. Bashir is not the first-choice spinner at Somerset, Jack Leach is. Ben Foakes is the first-choice keeper at Surrey and not Jamie Smith. England are picking players that aren't first-choice at their counties. I don't think they are looking at County cricket as a tool to say 'You are an international cricketer.”

"Bashir over Jack Leach is an intriguing one. I would have gone for Jack Leach. Bashir is a wonderful talent and no doubt that in a two-man spin attack he would be the second spinner. But Jack Leach has earned the right for being England's No.1. In Australia, a left-arm spinner against their right-handers, they haven't got many left-handers. Left-arm spin is quite a good option in Australia.”
 
Bashir has the ability to pick wickets and he is making full use of the home conditions. So far got 2 out of 3 wickets of West Indies till lunch.

Another fifer loading???
 
I predict England's Bazball is going to fizzle out very soon if they keep selecting players without merit and without a good domestic cricket record. Look at Shoaib Bashir's domestic cricket stats—they are atrocious. I don't know on what basis he has been selected. Why not give Matt Parkinson a go, who has been toiling hard for years in domestic cricket? I also don't see anything special in Gus Atkinson because his domestic cricket sample size isn’t convincing enough and his record isn’t that impressive. And where is Ollie Robinson? He is by far the best fast bowler in England and the only one who can truly take over from James Anderson.
 
James said:
Fantastic little spell from Bashir, getting himself into the series.
Click to expand...

Stokes is the perfect leader for such talent. He’s going to give these guys complete confidence and squeeze every last drop they have to give.

If Babar Azam was his captain, he’d be making tea for his little group. @Rana Or perhaps we’d not see him at all due to his poor stats, average and experience etc
 
shaz619 said:
Stokes is the perfect leader for such talent. He’s going to give these guys complete confidence and squeeze every last drop they have to give.

If Babar Azam was his captain, he’d be making tea for his little group. @Rana Or perhaps we’d not see him at all due to his poor stats, average and experience etc
Click to expand...
If Stokes was Pakistani, he would bat at number 9 after Shadab and Shaheen.

Babar doesn’t understand anything about player development, especially fast bowling all rounders.
 
Mercurial said:
I predict England's Bazball is going to fizzle out very soon if they keep selecting players without merit and without a good domestic cricket record. Look at Shoaib Bashir's domestic cricket stats—they are atrocious. I don't know on what basis he has been selected. Why not give Matt Parkinson a go, who has been toiling hard for years in domestic cricket? I also don't see anything special in Gus Atkinson because his domestic cricket sample size isn’t convincing enough and his record isn’t that impressive. And where is Ollie Robinson? He is by far the best fast bowler in England and the only one who can truly take over from James Anderson.
Click to expand...

Bashir and Parkinson have been picked primarily for their attributes, height, bounce, pace, etc.

Ollie Robinson has been dropped from the side due to unprofessional conduct. He released a podcast on his own channel during the tour of India which leaked confidential team information, and his personal fitness is very poor.
 
Bashir leading the team off the pitch after an outstanding spell beyond his years. He was calling for Joe Root to lead the team, but old boy Joe passed the torch there, class act.

If Babar or Rizwan scored a hundred, they would make sure they are front and centre, push Bashir to the back of the line.
 
bashir is lucky to part of this team, no other test team in the world would give a lad with his first class stats this level of confidence.

once he got into his rhythm he bowled some lovely balls too. much stiffer opposition to come, but hes young, and with rehan also in the background england look to have two potentially solid long term test prospects.
 
DeadlyVenom said:
Bashir didn't get picked for Somerset as they preferred Jack Leach so he went out on loan.

England picked him over Jack Leach.
Click to expand...

That sounds hilarious on paper lol

But Jacky boy ought to get more overs under his belt before he is thrown at the deep end given the sensitive injuries he has had.

England are doing the right thing by preparing for the future, they have to have seen something in those two young lads, to have looked beyond the numbers, while this may be considered radical, such lateral thinking needs to be adapted more often I reckon; especially in more inept boards. It has certainly proved successful for England’s LOI transformation in the past.

Ultimately it’s a team game and if all are on board with the vision / you have what you need to fulfil that it’s a positive.
 
shaz619 said:
That sounds hilarious on paper lol

But Jacky boy ought to get more overs under his belt before he is thrown at the deep end given the sensitive injuries he has had.

England are doing the right thing by preparing for the future, they have to have seen something in those two young lads, to have looked beyond the numbers, while this may be considered radical, such lateral thinking needs to be adapted more often I reckon; especially in more inept boards. It has certainly proved successful for England’s LOI transformation in the past.

Ultimately it’s a team game and if all are on board with the vision / you have what you need to fulfil that it’s a positive.
Click to expand...
This is the vision that Babar and co lacked. If Pakistan Cricket had guys like Stokes and McCullum in the setup running things they would've identified players they needed to get ready for the WT20 despite the stats, form and other mumbo jumbo.
 
shaz619 said:
That sounds hilarious on paper lol

But Jacky boy ought to get more overs under his belt before he is thrown at the deep end given the sensitive injuries he has had.

England are doing the right thing by preparing for the future, they have to have seen something in those two young lads, to have looked beyond the numbers, while this may be considered radical, such lateral thinking needs to be adapted more often I reckon; especially in more inept boards. It has certainly proved successful for England’s LOI transformation in the past.

Ultimately it’s a team game and if all are on board with the vision / you have what you need to fulfil that it’s a positive.
Click to expand...
how can our board enact this vision when the selectors are on overseas trips with the "bois", instead of watching grass roots cricket. pcb has no hope, they'll do this and you'll have random sifarshi tapiyas playing for pak.
 
Fantastic talent. Loved the way he was setting the Windies batsmen up.

Guy was turning the ball square on a flat track.
 
It’s a different outlook on selection than the somewhat one dimensional approach of just looking at domestic red ball data, but for England it seems to be working.
 
Bashir has 24 wickets in 4 tests excluding the lords test where he didn't bowl at all. That is a ridiculous start to his career. Wonder if England may have found their very own Lyon.

He bowled badly first innings, way too many long hops does have a tendency to get smashed. But he is proving to be a wicket taker and is a dangerous bowler on pitches which have variable bounce.
 
ElRaja said:
how can our board enact this vision when the selectors are on overseas trips with the "bois", instead of watching grass roots cricket. pcb has no hope, they'll do this and you'll have random sifarshi tapiyas playing for pak.
Click to expand...
The English system works because the guy at the top is fully bought in is able to provide a safe environment for baz and Stokes to do what they think best. He provides cover for them and they in turn provide cover for the players. It is a completely safe environment for players to be themselves without fear for their space as long as they do the basics (remain fit and put the team first).

We've seen Babar mentioned in this thread jokingly. But imagine this type of selection did happen in Pakistan.

The Pakistani Jack Leach would have retired and said he was going to the USA as there is no future for cricket in Pakistan. A Mohammed Hafeez type figure would emerge and talk about how domestic cricket is being neglected. Ex players and fans would buzz about dosti yaari.

In contrast in England the whole cricketing ecosystem is bought into the approach. The only criticism weirdly seems to be from Indians.
 
England's rising star still “looking for ways to improve” after remarkable Nottingham outing

England spinner Shoaib Bashir became the youngest-ever player from his country to take a five-wicket haul in a home Test during their win against West Indies in Nottingham.

The 20-year-old led England's charge in the second innings, his 5/41 helped contain West Indies for 143 and secure a big 241-run win. Beginning with the scalp of Kirk McKenzie, Bashir ran through the Windies middle-order during his brilliant spell.

This five-for helped him overtake the recently retired James Anderson as the youngest-ever England bowler to take a five-wicket haul at home.

This is already the third five-wicket haul for the Somerset bowler in his nascent Test career.

Bashir was understandably pleased with his returns but was also open to improvements in his game. The youngster looked back at this performance in the first innings, where he picked two wickets for 108 runs at an economy of over four, as something that could be worked on.

“Obviously in India, it's different conditions, So you come here and first innings you don't get much time [to adjust]. Just trying to work on consistency. I wasn't too happy with the way I bowled in the first innings. So it was nice to cash in there,” Bashir was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.

Bashir attributed his expensive economy in the first innings to his quest for wickets but added that it was an area that he’d address in his pursuit to improve.

“[I am] always harsh, always looking for ways to improve and I think that's one thing that won't change. I was leaking boundaries quite frequently, but at the same time, I still was trying to take a wicket and I think there's a lot to work on from that and just gaining more experience will help me.”

Big change on World Test Championship standings following England's Trent Bridge triumph
Despite an exceptional start to his career for a side more renowned for its pacers than spinners, Bashir wants to keep his feet grounded.

“It's always a learning curve. I'm just grateful for everything that's been given to me and I've just got to keep working hard. All cricket is tough. I'm still learning, still developing.”

The lanky spinner believes his height was an added advantage in England, where the surfaces provide help to the spinners gradually.

“Bowling spin in England is pretty tough, but also you reap your rewards later on as a Test goes and I'm grateful I'm a 6ft 4in spinner because it's a nice attribute to have.

“The extra bounce helps. We saw it there. If you land the ball in the right areas, a few will bounce and a few will skid on, so the bounce does help.”

Bounce is also an important factor for spinners in Australia, and should he continue his form the tweaker could prove to be an invaluable asset for England’s campaign Down Under in 2025/26. England haven’t won a Test series in Australia since 2010/11.

For Bashir, though it was a matter of staying in the present. “No, it [conversations with management] was nothing like that. I'm just grateful to be in the position I am. I take things step by step and I think religion helps me with that. I'm always going to stay grounded, stay humble.

“I remember back when I started things were quite tough for me and growing up cricket wasn't the easiest thing. So yeah, just trying to enjoy every moment I have in an England shirt.”

England’s final Test against West Indies begins on 26th July in Birmingham.

Source: ICC
 
As part of South Asian Heritage Month, England spinner Shoaib Bashir was one of a number of PCA members to benefit from receiving a PCA branded prayer mat.

Bashir revealed the delivery on the Under The Lid podcast with Jack Brooks and Katherine Sciver-Brunt and explained the significance of his heritage and faith in an insightful look into the life of the 20-year-old.

South Asian Heritage Month was a significant talking point on episode 20 that aired on Thursday 15 August. First celebrated in 2020, the awareness campaign runs between 18 July to 17 August. Its main aim is to celebrate South Asian cultures, histories and communities to the UK with South Asia.

The theme for this year’s heritage month is ‘Free to Be Me’ which is an initiative to celebrate the unique journeys of each individual in shaping everyone’s lives.

Bashir is a practising Muslim, making a prayer mat a very important item to carry with him. A prayer mat enables people of faith the freedom to pray in any environment even whilst being away from a place of worship.

Bashir was not the only England international to receive a prayer mat. Double World Cup winner Moeen Ali personally collected his mat from the PCA office earlier this month.

The prayer mats, subtly branded with the PCA logo, were produced following consultation with members and were provided to the PCA by Umbrella Faith, an organisation based in Cardiff.

Bashir is currently part of the England Test setup. Having already played a crucial role in helping his country secure a series win against the West Indies, he will form part of the team which will take on Sri Lanka in a three-match series.

The 20-year-old has already picked up 26 wickets in just six Test matches, including three five-wicket hauls, and opened up on his life so far during the episode, revealing how he was told he wasn’t good enough by Surrey and how Ben Stokes has been like a brother to him.

England spinner, Bashir, said: “I am part of the culture, my Mum and Dad are Pakistani. I love my heritage because that makes me, me, and I think it should be celebrated especially with what is going on in the world.

“Being someone who has had a bit of success in cricket and being from Pakistani background, I feel like I do have a role to influence younger guys to take up the sport. I do want to act as a role model for them to get them into the sport because without that we won’t have a diverse cricketing community.

“As a practising Muslim, we pray five times a day on a prayer mat. I got the offer to have one, so I did take one. I normally take it when we travel a lot, so I think it is a great initiative from the PCA because it’s very helpful for me being a religious man, so thank you PCA.”

PCA Director of People, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Donna Fraser, said: “Through our extensive work and consultation with our members, we felt it would be appropriate to offer PCA prayer mats to our members who observe prayer to recognise the diverse faith and religions within our membership.

“We have been delighted at the response with many members requesting and appreciating this gesture.”

Umbrella Faith Chief Executive, Sadique Maskeen, said: “Embrace diversity and foster inclusion; together, we can create a workplace where everyone can thrive and find wellbeing.”
 
Shoaib Bashir shines for England today against Sri Lanka in the first Test at Old Trafford. His figures so far 3/55 including the prized wicket of Milan Rathnayake.
 
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