At Trent Bridge, Shoaib Bashir became the youngest England bowler to take a five-wicket haul in a home Test in history. A moment of history that Bashir himself is, “still trying to comprehend.”
Bashir, 20, claimed five for 41 to bowl England to a 241 run win at Nottingham and seal a series victory against the West Indies with a match to spare.
“I didn’t have too much expectation going into it,” Bashir said. “I’m just still trying to comprehend what’s happened.”
Bashir's promotion to the first team was the result of a hunch come good from captain Ben Stokes, who saw a social media video of Bashir bowling on his first-class debut last year and forwarded it onto Brendon McCullum and Rob Key: “Have a look at this,” read Stokes’ message. “This could be something we could work with on our India tour.”
Such is the rapidity of Bashir’s rise that while he is first choice for his country, he remains second choice for his county, where he is picked behind the man he has replaced in an England shirt, Jack Leach.
“Leachy is understandably getting in the [Somerset] team ahead of me,” the ever modest Bashir said following his record-breaking appearance in Nottingham. “He’s played a lot more cricket than me and he’s a class spinner. We had a chat and he’s over the moon for me.
“He just told me to enjoy it. A home crowd. It doesn't get better than that. Obviously, I experienced the Barmy Army in India and that was special and even at the start of the day here, Jerusalem playing in the background, it's just so special to make a home debut.
Bashir played at Lord’s last week, his first appearance in a home Test, but the dominance of seam meant that he wasn’t required with the ball. Cut to a week later and he claimed his third-five wicket haul in just his fifth Test match. “Bash has showed the world what he can do,” was Stokes’ assessment.
“I wasn’t too happy with how I bowled in the first innings,” Bashir said of his performance at Trent Bridge. “I was leaking boundaries quite frequently, but at the same time I was still trying to take a wicket and I think there's a lot to work on from that and just gaining more experience will help me.
“I’m always harsh on myself. I’m always looking for ways to improve and I think that’s one thing that won’t change.”
Bashir spent part of this season out on loan at Worcestershire, featuring in one County Championship match where he conceded 38 runs off an over, a figure that tied the then record for the most expensive over in first-class history.
But such is Bashir’s temperament that he brushed it off without issue. A level-headed trait that has received lavish praise from Stokes and various other of his teammates.
“That’s part of the journey,” Bashir said of his time out on loan. “It was a decision I had to make to play cricket at a high level and when these things happen I just want to be playing cricket as much as I can.”
Bashir has quickly become a highly popular figure within the dressing room and after claiming the wicket of Alick Athanaze celebrated with Chelsea star Cole Palmer’s trademark ‘cold’ celebration. Or so people thought.
“No, that's a natural celebration,” Bashir laughed. “I don’t really watch football that much! I did the celebration and the guys were saying ‘there’s Cole Palmer’, but I don’t really watch football.
“Maybe he copied me!”
