Former England bowler Stuart Broad believes the selectors have kept Shoaib Bashir on the radar for next year’s Ashes series in Australia. The veteran warned the off-spinner that he will have to be prepared for Australia coming hard at him at the Gabba in Brisbane. However, the youngster made his debut during the tour of India earlier this year and had already left his mark, taking a fifer in Ranchi. He also showcased his bag of tricks against the West Indies in the fourth innings at Trent Bridge when he picked a fifer.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Broad said: “I think he’s been picked with half an eye on the Ashes and I don’t think England are making any excuses that they’re looking a bit more forward than they have done in the past. Bashir is probably not going to be tested huge amounts this summer in these conditions but it will be really interesting to see him play against Pakistan in Pakistan where they might play him a bit more aggressively on different surfaces.”
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“When you go to Australia and get to the Gabba, the Aussies are coming for you, they’re going to attack you and try to hit you out of the attack. That’s where playing now, building experience and playing in Test-match cricket and different conditions around the world sets you up for those huge, high-pressure moments,” he again stated.
England have had a tough time in Australia in their past three tours, losing by scorelines of 5-0, 4-0, and 4-0 as well. They haven’t held the urn since 2015 as well. Broad also added debutant Gus Atkinson displayed all the required skills to be a regular starter in the Test XI as well.
“Atkinson settled in really well and a little bit like Bashir, I’m not bothered how many wickets he’s got in this series and there is no doubt sterner tests are coming his way, but it’s the attributes he’s shown. I thought he was just a wobble-seam bowler, but throughout the series, he’s shown he can swing the ball away. He reversed it just a little bit towards the end at Trent Bridge and Edgbaston, and he’s shown the attributes you want from a Test match-type bowler,” Stuart Broad concluded.
