Shoaib Bashir: England's leading spinner ignored by club

Shoaib Bashir is preparing to shoulder England's spinning burden against India even though the young bowler cannot even get into his own county team.

The tall Somerset offspinner is a fixture in Ben Stokes's test side but is behind left-armer Jack Leach in the Taunton pecking order.

In fact he often finds himself third choice, with Somerset preferring the all-round ability of Archie Vaughan in their County Championship matches.

The 21-year-old Bashir was plucked from relative obscurity to make his test debut against India in Visakhapatnam last year. He is set to make his 16th consecutive appearance in Friday's series opener against the same opponents at Headingley.

Bashir has occasionally been paired with his county colleague Leach but more often than not has operated as England's lone spinner.

His test figures, while not remarkable, are solid for a spinner – he has taken 58 wickets at an average of 36.39, including four five-wicket hauls.

Bashir was named player of the match after taking nine wickets in England's innings victory against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge last month.

During the game he became the youngest England bowler to reach 50 test wickets.

'HAPPY PLACE' 

"It's always nice to put on an England shirt and walk out with the boys," said Bashir, speaking at Trent Bridge.

"I feel like I am very well backed here. I feel backed in county cricket too but England cricket is my happy place.

"I walk into this England team and feel 10 feet tall because of the backing I get."

Bashir has done enough to persuade England captain Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum he is their main man, despite modest returns in first-class cricket.

Prior to the Zimbabwe match, Bashir had taken just two first-class wickets this season at an eye-wateringly expensive average of 152 while on loan at second-division Glamorgan.

His career average in first-class cricket is an unremarkable 48.

Stokes recognises the unusual career path Bashir has taken, but stands by his man.

"I know it's an odd story to look at, I can understand why it's one of those things where people find it hard to believe," said Stokes after the Zimbabwe game.

"But those decisions in terms of who we pick, who we play and who we back, are ours to make.

"If he keeps putting in performances like he has done this week, then hopefully one day it'll make sense to everyone why we pick him."

Former England skipper Michael Vaughan, father of Somerset's Archie, believes there is too much focus on Bashir's county record.

"England got hold of him a couple of years ago and threw him into the set-up," Vaughan told the BBC. "He has not got a great record in county cricket because he has not got a team.

"Ben Stokes is his captain and whenever Ben Stokes is stood beside him he has very rarely let England down."

Bashir is out of contract with Somerset at the end of the season and is now free to speak with other counties in the search for more regular first-team action.

Reports suggest there have been no talks over a new deal with the southwest club.

Former England spinner Graeme Swann, who coached Bashir in the second-string England Lions set-up, has previously encouraged the bowler to leave Somerset in search of game time.

"Long-term, if the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) can just say, 'Look, this is bonkers. He's the best spinner in England. If you're not going to play him, then you have to let him go and play for someone else'," Swann told Talksport's Following On podcast.