Putting last week’s visa hassles behind him, the offspinner bowled 28 impressive overs on his first day as a Test cricketer
Vithushan Ehantharajah02-Feb-20241:38
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R Ashwin was annoyed. Once the over in front of him had finished, he stomped over from the non-striker’s end to remonstrate with square-leg umpire Marais Erasmus. By Ashwin’s clock, the final over of day one, England’s 93rd, began after 4:30pm. It did not take long for Ben Stokes to join in and point towards the time on the scoreboard vindicating the bowling of this final over.Of course, neither ceded ground. But Stokes sauntering away while Ashwin continued his protestations neatly summed up where this second Test is at. Plenty of back-and-forth, and England the happier.Related
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India’s 336 for 6 could be match-winning on depending on just how much the pitch changes going forward. And there were certainly times when it felt the sun and Yashasvi Jaiswal were taking turns roasting the tourists. But England clung on tight in those moments and were rewarded with three dismissals in the evening session.It was an impressive display after India won the toss considering two-thirds of the overs bowled came from three spinners with just three previous Test caps between them. And it was the one without any, Shoaib Bashir, who brought the most to the table on debut, with 28 overs under his belt. Only four times has he bowled more in a first-class innings, let alone a single day of Test cricket in a country where spin is a point of local pride.A cap presentation by Somerset teammate Jack Leach, the shirt bearing the number 67 – a workaround for digits that add up to his favoured 13, which was unavailable with the Lions, rather than an ode to his first-class bowling average – had already confirmed a pretty remarkable story.Released by Surrey, then roaming the club scene for a couple of years before earning a chance with Somerset. A handful of deliveries in a spell at Alastair Cook tweeted by official accounts and picked up by a doomscrolling Stokes. A delayed arrival in India with visa issues, subsequently leading him to miss the first Test, this registering a diplomatic incident before he’d even sent a ball down in international cricket.Shoaib Bashir was thrilled to bits after snaring Rohit Sharma as his maiden Test wicket•Getty ImagesBashir was chilled when addressing the visa rigmarole at stumps. The uncertainty, the annoyance, the travelling through three different timezones just to get it stamped, all brushed off with a simple: “It was a bit of a hassle, but I’m here now.”He landed on Sunday, entering the Hyderabad away dressing room to a hero’s welcome and stuck around to watch England win by 24 runs. Here, his introduction came within the first hour of play, marking the occasion with style by snaring Rohit Sharma around the corner with his 21st delivery.There was a calmness to the maiden dismissal, even if the celebration was anything but calm – fists clenched, throat roaring, teammates mobbing. Bashir went wider on the crease and put a little more on this ball; Rohit pressed forward, went through with the flick and fell into a telegraphed trap with vice-captain Ollie Pope stationed at leg slip.The second wicket showcased the threat of the six-foot-four height the selectors had invested in. The ball was short, not all that threatening, but the bounce turned what Axar Patel thought was a regulation cut into a slash to Rehan Ahmed at backward point. Bashir returned the favour to Rehan to remove KS Bharat in the 91st over, 10 minutes before stumps.That England had bowled so many overs was a testament to Bashir’s control. Overall, the action is both smooth and robust enough to get purchase on these pitches and subtle in its adjustments to hide a tidy arm ball.There were some drag-downs, a few too full, and two full-tosses – one of which was sent the distance by Jaiswal. But the 20-year-old shrugged at every mistake and went again, improving. Had he not settled into his groove as quickly, there would not have been a 91st over, and India would have returned on Saturday just five down. And Stokes would not have been able to give better-suited roles in these conditions to two bowlers at different ends of their careers.James Anderson gave England 17 overs of supreme control and the wicket of Shubman Gill•BCCIRehan was kept back until the 60th over, introduced with India 215 for 3 and introduced his typical enthusiasm into proceedings, starting with the fortuitous bowled dismissal of India debutant Rajat Patidar. And 41-year-old James Anderson, often used as a containing bowler in these conditions, was given a far more productive remit of hammering the channel outside off. Wicket 691 was the perfect set-up and punchline of Shubman Gill, and he would return later in tandem with Rehan to send down some reverse-swing.On Friday morning, Stokes is understood to have told Bashir that he was right to be nervous – because they all are, all the time. He reiterated the message that, on such occasions, remember why you started playing the game.It is another indicator of Stokes empathy for everyone, not just precocious spinners, even if they need that love most. And, heck, there are still enough wickets in the match for Bashir to become the fourth spinner – and fifth bowler – under his care to take a five-wicket haul on debut.Wedding empowerment and is arguably Stokes’ greatest gift. But Bashir clearly possess some of it himself. You wonder if, as he looked around the ground today, England creams on, ball in hand, he might have also remembered why he stayed in the game. That the love was still strong at a time when it seemed the game did not love him.There is still plenty to do, with four first-innings wickets still for the taking and a whole other innings to come. Bashir’s job, much like his story, is just getting started.
