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Shoaib Bashir raring to go for ash and compensate for the pain he felt when his summer ended prematurely, according to England Spin bowling coach Jitan Patel.
England’s favorite spinner is the chief Perth next week to continue preparations for the first Test on November 21, which will be his first since breaking his finger India In mid-July.
Bashir, who had a screw inserted in the little finger of his non-bowling hand, recently attended a spin camp under former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara and has been working out with the England Lions.
Until he joins up with Patel in a few weeks, he will remain under the guidance of former England spinner Richard Dawson, who has backed Bashir to flourish in Australia this winter.
“He is very excited to get back to cricket,” Patel said. “He was quite devastated by the injury he suffered during the India series, but he has come back strongly.
“I think he’s really ready and excited for a series that can give him a lot.”
Having missed the last three Tests against India and being overlooked by Somerset at the end of the English season, Bashir will have just a warm-up ahead of his first experience of Ashes cricket.
England face Andrew Flintoff’s Lions from November 13 to 15, but Patel is confident that 22-year-old Bashir will not need much preparation to be ready to attempt to reclaim the vase.
“I think it’s a bit of a myth for Bash – he’s too young to understand it,” Patel said. “It’s almost like he’s so raw with it all that he takes everything at his own pace.
“He loves playing for England, he has brought that up within the group and people love the fact that that is what he is about.
“His path into international cricket has been different and he is always learning, but the fact he loves playing for England keeps the boys motivated and gives everything he can for the team.”
Former New Zealand spinner Patel, who was speaking in his hometown Wellington ahead of England’s third ODI against the Black Caps on Saturday, was similarly effusive about all-rounder Will Jacks.
As a student of Bashir’s, Jacques was a left-field selection, beating out Rehan Ahmed, Liam Dawson and Jack Leach. He has five wickets in Tests, but he was last in white for England in 2022 and Bashir could be used in a different role as a lower-order batsman who provides part-time off spin.
“I definitely think he’s a huge asset to our group,” Patel said. “Taking five wickets on Test debut is not bad, especially in Pakistan,” he said.
“He has evolved from when he first played for England to what he has to offer now – he is someone who has completely developed himself. I think he is a huge asset to English cricket.”