Former England captain Michael Vaughan has hailed Shoaib Bashir, comparing the youngster with India’s veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. Bashir has impressed in the ongoing Test series against India, taking 12 wickets in the two Test matches he has played.
The off-spinner took eight wickets in the fourth Test match at Ranchi, including his maiden five-wicket haul in the first innings. Bashir returned with figures of 5-119 in the first essay and bowled at his best but England lost the match by five wickets.
The youngster has impressed in his career despite having a limited amount of experience in first-class cricket. Along with Bashir, Tom Hartley has been at his absolute best, taking 20 wickets in the four Test matches he has played.
“It’s been a fantastic week for English cricket. One of the great weeks, celebrating another world-class superstar that we’ve unearthed, Shoaib Bashir. That’s what we’re celebrating. Second Test match, eight wickets, he’s the new Ravi Ashwin, and we’ve unearthed him. So, we’re celebrating a new superstar in English cricket,” Vaughan told Club Prairie Fire’s YouTube channel.
Vaughan backed England to win the fifth Test against India at Dharamsala and reckons the Ben Stokes-led team has been better in the series despite trailing by 3-1.
“I think it’s going to be a fresh one in Dharamsala, so I expect England to win. They’ve been the better team in the series, as they were in the Ashes. If you go session by session, England have looked a better team. I’m saying looked a better team, but we don’t play series now to win them,” Vaughan added.
The fifth and final Test match between India and England will be played at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala from March 7.
