The Ashes: England Drops Shoaib Bashir for Key Third Test

England has decided to omit spinner Shoaib Bashir from their lineup for the pivotal third Ashes Test against Australia in Adelaide. In a bid to keep their hopes of regaining the urn alive, the tourists have made one alteration to the team that suffered defeat in the second Test in Brisbane.

As anticipated, Josh Tongue will step in, replacing fellow pace bowler Gus Atkinson. That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. the most notable decision is the exclusion of 22-year-old Bashir, particularly given the expectation that spin bowling will be a significant factor in this Test.

Instead of Bashir, England has chosen to stick with all-rounder Will Jacks, who featured in his first Test in three years during the Brisbane match. This selection represents a significant call by England captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, especially considering the pressure surrounding this Test.

The decision raises questions about England's approach to Bashir, who they've been developing in Test cricket over the past couple of years. His absence from the first two Tests in Australia was attributed to the prevailing conditions. In those matches, Australia's off-spinner Nathan Lyon bowled sparingly in the first Test and was then left out of the second. That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. Lyon is set to return for this match at a ground where he has claimed more Test wickets (63) than any other bowler, closely followed by Shane Warne (56).

The importance of spin is likely to be amplified by the forecast of extreme temperatures in Adelaide, with highs of 39C expected on Thursday.

England has previously shown faith in Bashir as their primary spinner, despite the fact that he isn't the first-choice slow bowler for his county team, Somerset. Bashir's contract with Somerset expired at the end of the season, and he has yet to agree to a new deal.

Stokes and McCullum believed that Bashir possessed the qualities needed to succeed in Australia, including a high release point and the ability to generate bounce from the pitch. Since his debut for England in India at the beginning of 2024, Bashir's performances have been mixed. He has taken 68 wickets in 19 Tests at an average of 39, and in May, he became the youngest England bowler to reach 50 wickets.

That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. Bashir has been sidelined since fracturing his finger in the third Test against India in July. His most recent act in an England shirt was also his most memorable, claiming the winning wicket in that thrilling Lord's Test.

Prior to the Brisbane Test, Stokes had voiced his support for Bashir as the team's frontline spinner, even when off-spinning all-rounder Jacks was picked ahead of him. But Bashir has struggled in Australia, recording figures of 2-266 in two tour matches and appearing to lack rhythm in training.

Notably, England did not include any other specialist spinner in their squad, overlooking options like Rehan Ahmed, Liam Dawson, and Jack Leach. This means that England will be relying on Jacks, who is primarily a batter and has only taken six first-class wickets this year.

In contrast, Australia can call upon Lyon, the 38-year-old who currently sits seventh on the all-time list of Test wicket-takers with 562. Lyon needs just two more wickets in Adelaide to overtake Glenn McGrath and move into sixth place.

Before England announced their XI, Lyon commented that he would be surprised if England's main spinner was not playing. He acknowledged Jacks' decent performance in Brisbane but stated that he was not concerned about England's lineup and would focus on his own team's preparations.

McCullum had previously indicated that changes to the batting lineup were unlikely, making Tongue the only new addition to the side that was defeated in Brisbane. Both teams are expected to rotate their pace bowlers during the final three Tests, which will be played consecutively.

Australia will benefit from the return of Pat Cummins in Adelaide, after the captain missed the first two Tests due to a back injury. Atkinson struggled in the first two Tests, taking three wickets at an average cost of 78 runs each, with two of those wickets coming late in the second Test when the result was already decided.

Tongue, 28, has claimed 31 wickets in six Tests, including dismissing Steve Smith in both innings of his only previous Ashes match at Lord's in 2023.

Meanwhile, England batter Harry Brook has admitted to shortcomings in his own performances during the series. Despite scoring 52 in the first innings of the first Test in Perth, he has failed to surpass 31 in his other three innings. Brook described his dismissals in the second innings in Perth and the first innings in Brisbane as "shocking."

"Sometimes I've got to rein it in a little bit," Brook said. "To learn when to absorb the pressure a little bit more and realise when the opportunity arises to put the pressure back on."

"I feel like I haven't done that as well as I usually do. There's no reason behind that, I just haven't identified those situations well enough."