It’s been a curious rise to the top for England spinner Shoaib Bashir who, after being included in the 12-man squad for the First Test in Perth, looks set to play an important role in the upcoming Ashes series—even if fans remain very much divided over his likely impact.
Surrey-born of Pakistani heritage, Bashir burst on to the international scene as a shock selection for England’s 2024 tour to India, taking an impressive 17 wickets in his three tests.
Having only just turned 22 the lanky off-spinner (he’s 1.93 metres tall) has proven a consistent albeit somewhat expensive wicket taker, accumulating 68 wickets for England in his first 19 tests at a modest average of 39. His first-class bowling average is 48.7.
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Leading into the Ashes several figures warned Bashir should expect plenty of attacking treatment from the Australians, including former test players Matthew Hayden and Kerry O’Keeefe.
“Bashir is a big tall boy and yes he’ll get some bounce, but he doesn’t turn the ball very much, I think he’ll be targeted,” Hayden said on SENQ last month.
“They’ll try and take him down straight away, it’ll be an all-out assault,” Kerry O’Keeffe added in the Courier Mail.
Such tactics can go one of two ways of course, and attacking the young tweaker could play perfectly into England’s hands.
The real challenge will come should Bashir wilt under the strain, physically or mentally, for the only genuine back-up spinner in England’s Ashes squad is batting all-rounder Will Jacks whose two test appearances came against Pakistan back in 2022.
Even worse, if England’s pace attack struggles—appearing on Australian soil for the first time since 2006 without at least one of James Anderson or Stuart Broad—Joe Root could also be called upon to contribute far more overs than he and his captain Ben Stokes would wish on a tour where Root’s batting output will likely be critical.
Root also came in for heavy treatment in last weekend’s warm up match against the English B side at Lilac Hill, smashed for 117 runs off 14 first innings overs.
Whilst undoubtedly a player of the future, it’s worth noting Bashir has hardly been knocking down the selection door back home in England.
His appearance in the touring squad ahead of 39-test veteran Jack Leach, 34, seems more a sign of the shallow talent pool in England’s spinning ranks right now, rather than a compelling case of form.
At 17, Bashir was released by his home county Surrey and after shirt stints with Middlesex and Berkshire he signed with Somerset in 2023.
However since arriving at his new country it’s well documented Bashir struggled for opportunities behind Jack Leach and Archie Vaughan—so much so that he has spent time on short-term loans at both Worcestershire in 2024 and Glamorgan where he played three games during the 2025 season in order to get more time at the bowling crease.
Off contract, he is set to depart Somerset following the Ashes.
Aside from Graeme Swann in the victorious 2010-11 touring squad, English off spinners have a poor recent record in Australia and there are genuine question marks whether Bashir is the man to reverse the trend at such an early stage of his career.
Should he rise to the occasion with performances that match his physical stature, England are in this Ashes series right up to their ears.
But if he crumbles under the pressure of Steve Smith, Travis Head and Co, their hopes of reclaiming the urn may well crumble too.
Shoaib Bashir Test Bowling Record (2024-)
Matches | Wickets | Average | Economy | Best |
19 | 68 | 39.00 | 3.79 | 6/81 |