In what comes as no surprise, Ben Stokes, the captain of the England cricket team, has announced the lineup for the second Test match against India in Vizag. One notable inclusion is the 20-year-old off-break bowler, Shoaib Bashir. England has made two changes to the team, with Bashir replacing Jack Leach, who unfortunately suffered a knee injury. Additionally, veteran pacer James Anderson will be taking the place of Mark Wood. On the other hand, India is yet to reveal their playing 11, which they are likely to do at the toss.
England currently leads the five-match series 1-0, following a remarkable come-from-behind victory in Hyderabad that left the home team stunned.
Bashir's selection means that England will be sticking to their successful strategy from the first Test, which includes three spinners - Tom Hartley, Rehan Ahmed - and one part-timer, Joe Root. Anderson will be the sole pacer in the second Test. This bowling combination worked wonders for the brave England team in the previous match, particularly Hartley, who delivered a match-winning performance in Hyderabad, finishing with an impressive seven-wicket haul in the second innings, ultimately shocking India.
Despite being only 20 years old and having played just six first-class matches, Bashir has been fast-tracked into the national side due to the strong recommendation of his captain, Ben Stokes. Stokes was captivated by a video clip of Bashir bowling to the renowned England batsman, Alastair Cook, during a County Cricket Championship match. Bashir's bowling action, delivery stride, and spin greatly impressed Stokes, as he was able to outwit Cook on several occasions. Although Bashir's statistics in Somerset cricket may not be remarkable, Stokes sees great potential in him to excel on the tour of India.
ENG Playing XI for 2nd Test: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Ben Foakes, Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley, Shoaib Bashir, James Anderson
READ| 'When Virat Kohli returns…': Harbhajan Singh’s caution to uncapped star ahead of IND vs ENG 2nd Test
