In a marathon display of spin bowling, young sensation Shoaib Bashir left an indelible mark on the second day of the fourth Test between England and India in Ranchi. Claiming four crucial wickets, Bashir’s 32-over spell showcased not only his skill but also his cheeky and enjoyable personality, according to England captain Joe Root.

“The way he bowls is a great little insight into his character and personality, he is quite cheeky and great fun to be around. There’s clearly a huge amount of skill in what he does, as he proved with the way he bowled for not just small spells but a long period of time,” praised Joe Root after the day’s play.

Shoaib Bashir, who missed the series opener due to a visa delay, demonstrated his prowess as he continuously applied pressure on the Indian batsmen throughout the day. England’s spin duo, featuring Bashir and Tom Hartley, worked effectively in tandem to put the hosts on the back foot.

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“To be able to continually put pressure on some very good players of spin, I know the wicket was helpful at times, but he did an amazing job and it’s a great sign for English cricket moving forward. You do have to work in partnerships and Tommy (Hartley) was excellent alongside him, too,” Joe Root remarked.

India’s bowling coach, Paras Mhambrey, acknowledged Bashir’s effectiveness, stating, “Bashir stuck to his strength, he’s not a big spinner, he is a tall guy, keeps his length, and keeps it simple. It’s the same for Hartley as well.” Mhambrey acknowledged the simplicity in Bashir’s approach that led to his success on the challenging pitch.

Root, confident about England’s position in the match, emphasized the importance of capitalizing on the deteriorating pitch. With the team trailing 2-1 in the series, Root’s unbeaten 122 provided a strong foundation for England, and he expressed optimism about their chances in the match.

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“We’ve got ourselves into a nice position at the end of the first innings. Obviously, it looks like it (pitch) is going to keep deteriorating and keep getting worse. So if we can get three early wickets tomorrow, hopefully that puts us in a really strong position for the rest of the game,” concluded Joe Root.