England debutant Shoaib Bashir described the “awesome” experience of taking the wicket of India captain Rohit Sharma on the opening day of the second Test in Visakhapatnam.
Bashir repaid the faith shown in him by the England selectors as he went on to claim the wicket of Axar Patel and finish with two for 100 in 28 overs.
The 20-year-old off-spinner told TNT Sports: “That (Sharma) was the highlight – he’s such a good player of spin and for me to get his wicket as my first is very, very awesome.
“It was a tough pitch to bowl on, it didn’t offer too much, but I thought the way the boys went about it was awesome and for us to pick up six wickets puts us in a good position going into tomorrow.”
Bashir, who was called up for his international debut having made just six first-class appearances, paid tribute to England captain Ben Stokes for giving him the confidence to step up.
“In the huddle he just said, go out there and enjoy it and remember why you started playing the game, and you’ve got nothing to lose,” added Bashir.
“That gave me so much confidence going in. The guys have been so supportive and welcoming, and that takes the best out of you as well.”
In a spectacular display of cricketing prowess, Australia claimed a convincing eight-wicket victory in the first One Day International (ODI) against the West Indies at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Debutant Xavier Bartlett stole the show with an extraordinary bowling spell, and Cameron Green's exceptional all-round performance guided Australia to a comprehensive win.
Xavier Bartlett, making his ODI debut, showcased his talent by dismantling the West Indies' top order with a remarkable 4 for 17. This performance marked the second-best figures on ODI debut for Australia, placing him just behind current selector Tony Dodemaide. Bartlett's ability to swing the ball both ways troubled the West Indies batsmen, setting the tone for Australia's dominance.
Matthew Lee, Director of the Jamaica Badminton Academy, drew parallels between Bartlett's impactful debut and the academy's commitment to nurturing talent. "Just like in badminton, where a player's debut can shape their entire journey, Bartlett's remarkable introduction to ODI cricket showcased the impact a debutant can have on the game."
Bartlett, along with fellow debutant Lance Morris, became the first pair of Australian debutants to open the bowling in an ODI since 2016. Bartlett's early breakthroughs, including a magical outswinger that dismissed Justin Greaves, left the West Indies struggling at 59 for 4.
The West Indies, anchored by Keacy Carty's career-best 88 and Roston Chase's gritty 59, managed to post a total of 231. However, Bartlett's spell had already set up the victory for Australia.
Josh Inglis provided a fiery start to Australia's chase with a quick-fire 65 off 43 balls. Inglis's aggressive approach set the tone, smashing ten fours and a six, and his whirlwind knock allowed Cameron Green to settle into the innings. Steven Smith's unbeaten run-a-ball 79 and Green's composed 77 not out guided Australia to victory with 11.3 overs to spare.
Despite the West Indies showing resilience with half-centuries from Carty and Chase, Bartlett's brilliance and Green's all-round show ensured Australia took a 1-0 lead in the series.
The MCG witnessed a dominant performance from Australia, with Bartlett's debut spell earning him well-deserved accolades. As the series progresses, cricket enthusiasts eagerly anticipate more exciting contests between these two cricketing giants. The West Indies, though faced with a setback, will look to bounce back in the upcoming ODIs, showcasing the resilience that makes cricket a thrilling and unpredictable sport.
England debutant Shoaib Bashir enjoyed a memorable start to his Test career as he vied for centre stage with India’s next big thing, Yashasvi Jaiswal, on day one in Visakhapatnam.
Bashir was fast-tracked into the England side on the back of just six first-class appearances and began repaying that faith when he grabbed the big wicket of home captain Rohit Sharma in his fourth over.
His exuberant, fist-clenching celebration was a wonderful moment for the 20-year-old off-spinner, who grabbed a second late on when Axar Patel chopped to point, and may even have made up for the visa complications that added 10,000 air miles to his trip and delayed his arrival on tour.
Bashir was trusted to bowl more overs than anyone else and finished with two for 100 in 28 overs as India ran up 336 for six on a good batting pitch. Teenage leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed added two of his own in the evening session, this second Test may hinge on the efforts of rising star Jaiswal.
He made a dashing 179 not out, carrying his bat from first ball to last in an exemplary knock. The 22-year-old, who made his name in the Indian Premier League and looks primed to inherit Virat Kohli’s mantle as the country’s next cricketing icon, never allowed England’s bowlers to breathe easily. Punishing any errors in line or length with bursts of controlled aggression. He hit 17 fours and five sixes, including a towering blow to reach his hundred.
On a pitch that is expected to break up and take sharper turn as the game progresses, England’s task looks a tricky one as they seek to build on the high of victory in Hyderabad.
Ben Foakes, meanwhile, reiterated his value behind the stumps with a pair of smart catches. The first, to see off Shubman Gill just before lunch, saw him dive in front of slip to make the ball his own, but the second was even better. He needed razor sharp reflexes and soft hands to cling on to Shreyas Iyer’s under-edge, with Tom Hartley the beneficiary.
James Anderson, replacing Mark Wood as the solitary seamer, gave up just six runs from his initial five-over spell but England were soon relying on spin at both ends. Joe Root shared the new ball, a gambit aimed at unsettling Jaiswal, but gave way to Bashir as Ben Stokes got his latest newcomer into the game early.
Despite having only 10 first-class wickets to his name, the Somerset prospect started confidently and settled into a steady groove. Sharma had been unusually quiet, grinding out 14 from 41 balls, but when he flicked Bashir round the corner to Pope it was a major first scalp for the youngster.
With Jaiswal putting away anything loose, India were still able to get the best of the first session and it felt a surprise when Anderson returned to take Gill’s outside edge 10 minutes before the break.
Jaiswal resumed on 51 and dialled up the intensity in the afternoon, lifting Root for six over extra-cover with an effortless back-foot drive. Hartley, coming back to earth after his match-winning seven-wicket haul last time out, overpitched a handful of times and was punished repeatedly by the opener.
It was Jaiswal who hit Hartley’s first ball in Test cricket for six and he took the Lancastrian on again here, driving emphatically and giving the fielders no chance to intercept.
He had one scare on 73, Root getting finger tips to a thick edge off Hartley, but moved fluently towards his hundred before reaching three figures with a handsome blow that went all the way over the ropes.
Foakes’ instincts nabbed England a wicket that could easily have gone begging, Iyer cutting a ball that shot through low and and nicking off the bottom edge. It was looking like a long final session at tea, with the score at 225 for three, and Jaiswal did his best to sap Ahmed’s enthusiasm when he clattered the teenage leg-spinner for six.
But Ahmed did not shirk the contest, attacking the stumps until he forced a mistake from debutant Rajat Patidar. Pressing forward in defence he ran it off the face of his bat and watched on as it spun back and unsettled a bail.
England looked like they would settle for four wickets but there was a bonus scalp for Bashir, who finished the day as he had started it, in celebration. It was something of a gift, picking out Ahmed with an uncontrolled cut, but it was Bashir’s height and bounce that made the stroke dangerous.
Srikar Bharat fell in similar style but this time the roles were reversed, Ahmed with the ball and Bashir adding a first to catch to his day’s achievements.
Colin Graves’ controversial return as Yorkshire chairman is virtually complete after members voted to accept the terms of his loan offer.
Graves, who served as Yorkshire’s chairman between 2012 and 2015 having first helped to save the club from financial ruin in 2002, has been given the green light to reprise his old role as members approved a special resolution at a heated extraordinary general meeting on Friday.
Three associates of Graves – Phillip Hodson, Sanjay Patel and Sanjeev Gandhi – are also set be appointed to the board as non-executive directors following the passing of the resolution.
The resolution passed with 746 votes in favour, 88 per cent of the votes cast.
The vote is subject to regulatory approval by the Financial Conduct Authority in the next 12 to 14 days, but once fully ratified the second tranche of a personal, unsecured loan of £1million from Graves will be advanced to the club. Members have been told the new non-executive directors will then work with the board to arrange further funding of up to £4m over a five-month period.
With almost £15m owed to the Graves family trust and a host of other potential investors no longer at the table, the board said last month it was recommending a loan offer from Graves “having exhausted all other options” in its search for refinancing to avoid entering administration.
Graves’ return is controversial given that the racism scandal which has engulfed the club partially took place during his first stint in charge.
Last month he apologised to anyone who experienced racism at Yorkshire, and expressed “profound regret” at the language he used in an interview with Sky Sports last summer when he said no one had reported racism to him but that there had been “a lot of banter”.
Azeem Rafiq, who in 2020 spoke out about the racism he experienced across two spells at Yorkshire, says he does not accept Graves’ apology.
Current chair Harry Chathli told members on Friday: “We as directors would not be discharging our duty of care if we deliberately put this club into administration just because we didn’t like a personality. That cannot happen.”
Chief executive Stephen Vaughan said: “We have kissed a lot of frogs and been to lots of beauty parades, and we are at a place now where the deal that Colin and his team are bringing to the table is the only one that will keep the business solvent going forward.”
The England and Wales Cricket Board warned last month it was “vital” the work done to tackle discrimination at Yorkshire continued, and that it had “significant powers which can be used to hold Yorkshire to account” if that was not found to be the case.
England debutant Shoaib Bashir enjoyed a memorable start to his Test career before a fine century from Yashasvi Jaiswal put India in charge on day one in Visakhapatnam.
Bashir, fast-tracked into the team after just six first-class appearances, was just four overs into his first international spell when he grabbed the big wicket of Rohit Sharma.
The 20-year-old off-spinner, whose entry into the country was held up by visa complications, clenched both fists and roared in celebration when the home captain turned him straight into Ollie Pope’s hands at leg-slip.
But it was hard work for the tourists after losing the toss on a good batting pitch, with Jaiswal striking a fluent 125 not out as they reached 225 for three at tea.
He judged conditions expertly and picked his moments to attack England’s inexperienced spin attack, bringing up his hundred in grand fashion as he skipped down the track and launched Tom Hartley for six.
With no real encouragement from the surface chances were hard to come by, and Ben Foakes proved his value behind the stumps to make sure two of them counted. He dived in front of slip to catch Shubman Gill just before the lunch break, giving James Anderson a timely breakthrough on his return to the side, and was even more alert in the afternoon session.
Hartley, the seven-wicket hero of Hyderabad, was the beneficiary of Foakes’ brilliant glovework but the 24-year-old left-armer struggled in the face of Jaiswal’s controlled aggression.
Anderson, replacing Mark Wood as the solitary seamer, gave up just six runs from his initial five-over spell but England were soon relying on spin at both ends. Joe Root shared the new ball but gave way to Bashir as Ben Stokes got his latest newcomer into the game early.
Despite having only 10 first-class wickets to his name, he started confidently and settled into a steady groove. Sharma had been unusually quiet in making 14 from 41 balls but when he flicked Bashir round the corner to Pope it was a major first scalp for the youngster.
With Jaiswal putting away anything loose, India were still able to get the best of the first session and it felt a surprise when Anderson returned to take Gill’s outside edge 10 minutes before the break.
Jaiswal resumed on 51 and dialled up the intensity in the afternoon, lifting Root for six over extra-cover with an effortless back-foot drive. Hartley overpitched a handful of times and was punished mercilessly by the opener, who punched the ball emphatically down the ground to leave the fielders no chance.
He had one scare on 73, Root getting finger tips to an edge off Hartley, but moved fluently towards his hundred before reaching three figures with a handsome six down the ground.
Yorkshire members will vote later this morning on whether to accept a loan offer from former chairman Colin Graves which would pave the way for his controversial return to Headingley.
Last month the existing board of the debt-ridden club recommended members back a special resolution at Friday’s extraordinary general meeting which, if passed, could ultimately lead to Graves and three associates being appointed to the board and unlock up to £5million in funding.
With time running out to keep the business viable, almost £15million owed to the Graves family trust and a host of other potential investors no longer at the table, the board said it was recommending a loan offer from Graves “having exhausted all other options” in its search for refinancing.
Graves’ reinstatement would represent a divisive move considering the racism scandal which has engulfed Yorkshire in recent years, an episode which partially took place during his first stint in charge.
Earlier this month he apologised to anyone at Yorkshire who had experienced racism, and expressed “profound regret” at the language he had used in a Sky Sports interview last June when he said there had been “a lot of banter”.
Azeem Rafiq, who in 2020 blew the whistle on the racism he experienced at Yorkshire, said Graves’ apology was not something he could accept, adding: “It’s got to be further than just words.”
The special resolution will only pass on Friday if 66 per cent or more of members vote in favour. Sources have told the PA news agency there is a concerted mobilisation against Graves, but it remains to be seen whether that will be sufficient to block his return.
Even if the resolution does pass, his reinstatement will still be subject to the Financial Conduct Authority approving the rule changes contained within the special resolution.
Graves said in a statement on Thursday: “Yorkshire members will vote tomorrow at the EGM on whether to ratify the board’s decision to accept my offer to the club.
“If, as I very much hope in the best interests of YCCC they do so, we will have to await the regulatory approval of the offer from the Financial Conduct Authority before forming a new board.
“The immediate responsibilities of that new board will be to elect a new Chairman and then begin work to resolve the YCCC financial situation.
“In the meantime, I will not be making any further comment.”
Shoaib Bashir made a memorable start to his England career, dismissing India captain Rohit Sharma on the first morning of the second Test in Visakhapatnam.
The 20-year-old off-spinner only arrived in the country six days ago, his visa application held up due to his Pakistani heritage, but was handed a debut in place of the injured Jack Leach.
Bashir claimed the first wicket of the morning session when Sharma flicked a catch to Ollie Pope, roaring in excitement and clenching both fists in celebration.
But it was hard work for the tourists after losing the toss on a good batting pitch, with India reaching 103 for two after James Anderson removed Shubman Gill just before lunch.
Yashavi Jaiswal led the way with 51 not out, biding his time and picking off bad balls as he collected six fours and a six.
Anderson, recalled in place of Mark Wood as the solitary seamer, kicked things off after Ben Stokes lost the toss and allowed just six runs from his first five overs.
The 41-year-old, who made his Test debut five months before Bashir was born, beat the bat a couple of times but the early signs suggested a flat track.
Joe Root shared the new ball but was unable to make his match-up with the left-handed Jaiswal pay off and soon made way for Bashir. The newcomer came to the crease with just 10 first-class wickets to his name across six matches, but quickly settled into a groove.
After three tidy overs he struck midway through his fourth, Sharma following a drifting ball and turning it to leg-slip after an unusually quiet 14 from 41 deliveries. Bashir’s team-mates thronged as he took in the moment, but with Jaiswal settling to his task there was plenty still to do.
Tom Hartley, England’s seven-wicket hero in Hyderabad, started steadily but was unable to create a chance and began to over-pitch as he searched for a breakthrough. Bashir held an end for 10 straight overs, erring only when he sent down a full toss which Jaiswal flogged for six.
Anderson got his side back into the fight in his second spell, taking Gill’s outside edge for 34 as Ben Foakes dived in front of slip to take the catch.
Shoaib Bashir made a memorable start to his England career, dismissing India captain Rohit Sharma on the first morning of the second Test in Visakhapatnam.
The 20-year-old off-spinner only arrived in the country six days ago, his visa application held up due to his Pakistani heritage, but was handed a debut in place of the injured Jack Leach.
Bashir claimed the first wicket of the morning session when Sharma flicked a catch to Ollie Pope, roaring in excitement and clenching both fists in celebration.
But it was hard work for the tourists after losing the toss on a good batting pitch, with India reaching 103 for two after James Anderson removed Shubman Gill just before lunch.
Yashavi Jaiswal led the way with 51 not out, biding his time and picking off bad balls as he collected six fours and a six.
Anderson, recalled in place of Mark Wood as the solitary seamer, kicked things off after Ben Stokes lost the toss and allowed just six runs from his first five overs.
The 41-year-old, who made his Test debut five months before Bashir was born, beat the bat a couple of times but the early signs suggested a flat track.
Joe Root shared the new ball but was unable to make his match-up with the left-handed Jaiswal pay off and soon made way for Bashir. The newcomer came to the crease with just 10 first-class wickets to his name across six matches, but quickly settled into a groove.
After three tidy overs he struck midway through his fourth, Sharma following a drifting ball and turning it to leg-slip after an unusually quiet 14 from 41 deliveries. Bashir’s team-mates thronged as he took in the moment, but with Jaiswal settling to his task there was plenty still to do.
Tom Hartley, England’s seven-wicket hero in Hyderabad, started steadily but was unable to create a chance and began to over-pitch as he searched for a breakthrough. Bashir held an end for 10 straight overs, erring only when he sent down a full toss which Jaiswal flogged for six.
Anderson got his side back into the fight in his second spell, taking Gill’s outside edge for 34 as Ben Foakes dived in front of slip to take the catch.
Cricket West Indies (CWI) proudly announces the upgrade of Shamar Joseph from his current Franchise contract to a CWI International retainer contract. This decision comes in recognition of Joseph's outstanding performance and invaluable contribution to the recent historic victory against Australia on their home soil in Brisbane, marking Australia's first defeat to the West Indies since 1997.
Enoch Lewis, CWI Director and Chair of the Cricket Development and Performance Committee expressed, "As exhilarated as we are, it is also dutiful to elevate Shamar Joseph to a CWI International retainer contract. His extraordinary talent and steadfast dedication serve as the cornerstone of our team's recent triumph at the Gabba, and such promise merits its due recognition. Shamar has not just been rewarded with a retained contract he has earned it.”
"Shamar Joseph's remarkable debut series showcased his prowess with 13 wickets in two matches, including a match-winning spell of 7 for 68 in the decisive second test. His performance, coupled with his dedication, exemplifies the spirit of West Indies cricket."
Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe, remarked, "Shamar's elevation to a CWI International retainer contract reflects his potential and the bright future ahead for West Indies cricket. We have also offered Chemar Holder a franchise contract as we double down on securing the best fast-bowling talent available. We are excited to see both men continue to excel.”
"With these contract upgrades, CWI reaffirms its commitment to nurturing talent and fostering excellence within the team. Shamar Joseph's journey exemplifies the promising future of West Indies cricket, and we look forward to his continued success. Meanwhile, we will continue to support Chemar Holder who returned from injury rehabilitation and has shown signs of eagerness to be reintegrated at the highest level.”
The full list of Men’s International retainers for 2023/24 are:
CONTRACTED PLAYERS
West Indies Men
West Indies wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva has taken the reins from Darren Bravo and will captain the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force for the upcoming West Indies Championship.
Having led the West Indies ‘A’ team on their tour to South Africa late last year, Da Silva isn’t new to the captaincy. However, he will have to also step up with the bat in the absence of Bravo, who was the leading batter for the Red Force last year.
Meanwhile, Bryan Charles was named vice-captain of the squad which includes fit-again pacers Jayden Seales and Terrance Hinds as well as veterans Imran Khan and Jason Mohammed.
T&T will open their campaign against defending champions Guyana Harpy Eagles at Conaree Cricket Ground in St Kitts from February 7-10 before facing the West Indies Academy at the same venue from February 14-17.
T&T will complete their St Kitts leg of the tournament on February 21-24 against the Leeward Islands Hurricanes at Warner Park before returning to Trinidad for two matches in March at Queen’s Park Oval.
On March 13-16, T&T will face the Windward Islands Volcanoes at the Oval before facing Barbados Pride at the same venue later that month.
The Red Force will then travel to Jamaica to face CCC from April 10-13 at Chedwin Park before ending their campaign against hosts Jamaica Scorpions from April 17-20 at Sabina Park.
The Red Force will leave for St Kitts on Sunday where they will play three matches starting next Wednesday.
RED FORCE SQUAD:
Joshua Da Silva (captain), Bryan Charles (vice-captain), Amir Jangoo, Imran Khan, Terrance Hinds, Jason Mohammed, Jyd Goolie, Jayden Seales, Anderson Phillip, Vikash Mohan, Cephas Cooper, Tion Webster, Khary Pierre.
Sebastien Edwards (manager), David Furlonge (coach), Rayad Emrit (assistant coach), Ruel Rigsby (physio), Shane Burnett (S&C coach).
West Indies fast bowler Shamar Joseph, recently signed by Pakistan Super League franchise Peshawar Zalmi, finds himself in the spotlight as a potential replacement for the injured Tom Curran in the upcoming IPL 2024 season. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) are reportedly eyeing Joseph to fill the void left by Curran, who is nursing a severe knee injury.
Tom Curran's misfortune began during his stint with Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League, where a knee injury forced him out of the season. The English all-rounder has been absent from Desert Vipers' ILT20 2024 campaign, and now, he has withdrawn from the Pakistan Super League due to the severity of the injury.
RCB, having secured Curran, are actively seeking a replacement for the upcoming IPL season. Shamar Joseph, the new Test sensation who recently signed with Peshawar Zalmi for the 2024 PSL season, has emerged as a potential candidate. Joseph's toe injury, sustained during the second Test against Australia, has unfortunately ruled him out of the ILT20.
Shamar Joseph's recent stellar performance at the Gabba, where he claimed seven wickets to secure a historic eight-run victory for West Indies over Australia, has only heightened the interest in his potential IPL debut. With 13 wickets in the series at an impressive average of 17.31, Joseph has showcased his pace and ability to generate bounce, making him a valuable asset in any cricketing format.
In the wake of Shamar Joseph's stellar performance in the just-concluded two-Test series against Australia, West Indies' white-ball coach, Darren Sammy, finds himself grappling with a welcome selection headache.
Joseph, the hero of the historic Test victory at the Gabba, where he took 7 for 68, has set tongues wagging with his remarkable debut in the longer format of the game.
The young bowler had already announced his arrival in style by claiming a maiden five-wicket haul in his debut Test in Adelaide, a feat that included dismissing none other than Steven Smith with his very first ball in Test cricket. The cricketing world couldn't help but take notice of Joseph's incredible talent and composure on the grand stage.
Despite Joseph's absence from the initial white-ball squads for the upcoming limited-overs series against Australia, Sammy is eager to integrate the Test hero into the T20 and ODI squads. While Joseph has limited experience in T20 cricket, having played only two matches and yet to take a wicket in the format, Sammy sees him as a potential all-format star for the West Indies.
"He will definitely be an all-format player," asserted Sammy. "I can't wait to get my hands on him in this squad. But look, everything has a process to it. That's the way myself and the chairman of selectors operate. What he's done, he's created a really good headache for me with the World Cup coming up, building forward in the ODI team."
England are ready to play the generation game after pairing 20-year-old debutant Shoaib Bashir and 41-year-old seamer James Anderson for the second Test in India.
Bashir, who has been fast-tracked into the XI after just six first-class appearances and 10 wickets, was born five months after Anderson won his first cap at Lord’s in May 2003.
The duo come into a winning team at Visakhapatnam on Friday, with the young off-spinner replacing the injured Jack Leach and the country’s record wicket-taker in for Mark Wood.
Bashir will be the 99th player to make their England debut since Anderson made his bow against Zimbabwe more than two decades ago. Numbers 98 and 96, Tom Hartley and Rehan Ahmed, are the men to join Bashir in a three-pronged spin attack boasting just three Tests between them.
Solitary seamer Anderson is on hand to make up for their collective lack of experience as he lines up for the 184th time.
Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum have made fearless selections a hallmark of their reign as captain and coach but, emboldened by their stirring 28-run success in Hyderabad, this is their boldest move yet.
Yet Stokes, who was first alerted to Bashir’s promise via a social media clip of him bowling at Sir Alastair Cook, insisted it was a straightforward call.
“Bash coming in for Leachy was a simple one: one spinner out, one spinner in,” he said.
“Baz told him. So, when I went up to him, I knew that he knew and he just gave me a big hug. He looked very excited. I’m fully backing him and looking forward to hopefully putting on a grand show.”
Bashir impressed England during their recent training camp in Abu Dhabi and looked assured enough for Stokes to treat his delayed arrival in India, caused by visa hold-ups related to his Pakistani heritage, a non-factor.
Brushing off the disruption of his unplanned trip back to the embassy in London, he added: “There’s no issues for me that he’s been away from the group for a period of time, then come back in to make his debut. It’s not like he’s forgotten how to bowl.”
Sitting at the other end of the spectrum is Anderson, setting out on his 22nd calendar year of international cricket and his first outing since the retirement of long-time partner Stuart Broad.
He showcased his undimmed desire to play a part by throwing himself into substitute fielder duties on the final day of the first Test.
“It’s great that Jimmy is doing good things for the old boys out there,” said Stokes with a smile.
“It’s huge credit to him and lots of people should look up to Jimmy considering he is where he is at 41. Bringing in Jimmy’s experience, and the class that he has, is great for us and I think it also goes under the radar how good his record in India is.
“Considering what Jimmy is known for – ‘the swing king’ and all that – it just proves how good a bowler he is. Taking nothing away from Woody, we just feel like there’s a bit more I can turn to him for. It’s not just picking Jimmy for the new ball, it’s everything else he possesses – his reverse skills, his off-cutter skills and stuff like that.”
Stokes is playing in India as a specialist batter but bowled gently during Thursday’s practice session for the first time since undergoing knee surgery. He plans to return as a fully functioning bowling option during the English summer, when Joe Root’s newfound status as the side’s top-rated all-rounder – as confirmed by the latest ICC rankings – could come under threat.
“I’m surprised but he’s not actually mentioned he’s nipped above me,” Stokes said.
“I always said to Joe he underbowled himself as captain. I told him ‘I’ll make a bowler out of you!'”
Shoaib Bashir will make his international debut in England’s second Test against India after fellow Somerset spinner Jack Leach was ruled out through injury.
Record wicket-taker James Anderson also comes into the side in Visakhapatnam instead of Mark Wood as England look to build on their brilliant victory in Hyderabad.
Visa issues meant Bashir racked up 10,000 unwanted air miles shuttling between Abu Dhabi, London and Hyderabad, where he arrived just in time to take in the final day of England’s win.
The 20-year-old has taken just 10 first-class wickets in six games at an average of 67, while Leach’s absence means England’s three specialist spinners have three caps between them, with two for Rehan Ahmed and one for Tom Hartley.
England captain Ben Stokes first floated the possibility of Bashir featuring on the tour of India six months ago after watching a video montage of him bowling to Sir Alastair Cook on his first Somerset appearance.
“To be perfectly honest, our training camp in Abu Dhabi was the first real live look I got at Bash,” Stokes admitted.
“The first time I saw him was on Twitter. I think the County Championship put a little clip together of him bowling against Sir Alastair.
“I just saw something. With the height he bowled from, it was very obvious that he put a lot of action, a lot of revolutions, on the ball.”
Having watched the Kraigg Brathwaite-captained Test team defy the odds in the second of their two-match series against Australia, West Indies One-Day International captain Shai Hope is optimistic that his unit will not only continue that momentum, but more importantly, replicate the feat in their three-match series.
There was much talk about the Test team and its seven uncapped players, among them rising fast bowler Shamar Joseph, who braved a toe injury to snare a seven-wicket haul and lead West Indies to a famous eight-run win –their first in Australia in 27 years.
With the excitement of that victory still very much fresh in the air, Hope and is unit, which includes five players from the Test squad, is intent on extending the celebrations.
The three-match series bowls off on Thursday at 10:30pm.
“It was a very inspiring win that they had in the last Test. It’s great momentum for us, of course it’s a different format, but great signs for us to continue what happened in the last Test in this ODI series,” Hope said in a pre-game press conference.
“It (the mood in the camp) is pretty good. Everyone's up and ready to roll. Seeing some of these grounds here in Australia, that in itself (makes you) want to play cricket so the guys are upbeat and ready to go,” he added.
It was a mixed bag for West Indies last year where results are concerned with their failed World Cup qualifying campaign and a loss to India at the height of their disappointments. However, they rebounded with 3-0 and 2-1 series victories over United Arab Emirates (UAE) and England, followed by a stalemate with South Africa.
Despite the fact that they have won seven of 12 ODIs last year, Hope is mindful that West Indies is yet to beat Australia in a series in almost three decades.
“Like we always say in the dressing room, every game matters, not necessarily about series or an opponent. You have to take every single game as a final and it's nice to see that the guys are really taken to the new system and the we're trying to play our cricket. So yeah, it's just one game at a time and then the results will take care of themselves,” Hope noted.
That said, Hope welcomed the challenge for his fairly inexperienced squad, which includes eight players with 10 or less ODIs under their belts, as they commence the rebuilding phase to towards possible qualification for the next ODI World Cup in four years. Teddy Bishop and Tevin Imlach are both uncapped.
“Yeah, it's I think it's great to widen that pool and what is a better way to start a career than here in Australia for some of the guys. But yes, I think four years seems like a long time, but it really isn't and as much games as these guys can play over that span, I think it's going to widen the pool and then give us a headache when that time comes to hopefully select a strong squad, and then they would also gain a lot more experience with that time,” Hope, who has been at the helm for almost a year declared.
WEST INDIES – Shai Hope (captain), Alzarri Joseph, Alick Athanaze, Teddy Bishop, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Tevin Imlach, Gudakesh Motie, Kjorn Ottley, Romario Shepherd, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh Jr.
AUSTRALIA – Steve Smith (captain), Travis Head, Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Lance Morris, Matt Short, Adam Zampa
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