India v England: Shoaib Bashir and James Anderson named in squad for second Test

Off-spinner Shoaib Bashir will make his England debut in the second Test against India in Visakhapatnam.

Bashir first came to the attention of England captain Ben Stokes when a video of him bowling for Somerset was posted on Twitter, now X.

“I’m fully backing him and looking forward to him hopefully putting on a show,” said Stokes.

Though Bashir has played only six first-class matches, England believe his height and the amount he tries to spin the ball can make him an asset in India.

Bashir’s selection for this tour was similarly left-to that of Lancashire left-arm spinner Tom Hartley, who picked up 7-62 in the second innings of England’s stunning 28-run win in the first Test in Hyderabad.

Speaking to BBC Sport, Stokes said: “He possesses that natural ability, where he releases the ball from and how much energy he tries to put on the ball.

“Someone releasing the ball from height and putting that much on the ball is going to get that natural variation. That is very hard to play against out here. Some balls will spin, some will skid on.”

England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Ben Foakes, Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley, Shoaib Bashir, James Anderson.

Leach suffered a knee injury during the first Test and Stokes was unable to say how long the 32-year-old will be out for.

With Bashir coming in, England are once again fielding three frontline spinners. Between them, Bashir, Hartley and Rehan Ahmed have only three Test caps.

In contrast, Anderson will collect his 184th cap and, at 41 years and 187 days on Friday’s opening day, will become the oldest seamer ever to bowl in a Test in India.

It will make 2024 the 22nd consecutive year in which Anderson, England’s all-time leading wicket-taker, has played at least one Test.

“It’s great to bring in someone like Jimmy, who has an unbelievable amount of experience,” said Stokes. “What maybe goes under the radar is his record out in India.”

Stokes, vice-captain Ollie Pope and coach Brendon McCullum took a long look at the Visakhapatnam pitch before naming the England XI on Thursday.

It is not expected to turn as much as the surface in Hyderabad, but Stokes said it is drying out.

“The pitch looks drier than it did yesterday,” he said. “It’s about backing your decisions when you pick a team.

“We just feel the way we were able to operate with our spinners was a massive boost for us.”

India will make at least two changes to their side, having lost all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and batter KL Rahul to injuries since the first Test.

They were already without star batter Virat Kohli, pace bowler Mohammed Shami and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.

The defeat in the first Test was only India’s fourth in 47 home matches. They have not lost the first two Tests in a home series since 2000.

However, despite seemingly carrying momentum from Hyderabad, England have memories of their last tour in 2021, when they won the first Test but then lost the last three.