Australian legend Matthew Hayden says Shoaib Bashir will be ‘targeted’ if he is selected for England’s opening Test in Perth.
The England selectors have placed their faith in Bashir as their frontline spin option heading into this winter’s much-anticipated showdown, with Will Jacks, Jacob Bethell and Joe Root the only other alternatives available for the tourists Down Under.
But there are no guarantees Bashir will see any action for the visiting side, who are expected to rely heavily on an all-pace attack as they aim for a first series win on Australian soil in 14 years.
Australia, on the other hand, have Nathan Lyon in their arsenal – a hugely experienced and widely respected off-spinner who has 152 wickets in his 24 Test matches against England.
There was some speculation that Lyon could be left out of the first match, which starts next Friday, as Optus Stadium has a reputation for offering a fast and furious surface that favors pace bowling.
But while Bashir is expected to miss the squad, injuries to Australian captain Pat Cummins and fellow pacer Josh Hazlewood mean Lyon is likely to play a central role for the hosts.
During England’s disastrous tour of Australia in 2021/22, Jack Leach had a torrid time, finishing with six wickets and an average of 53.50 across his three matches in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.
And former Australia opener Hayden is confident Bashir will face similar challenges if he comes into the side as the youngster ‘doesn’t turn the ball much’ at this early stage of his career.
“The big turning point could be the spinner,” Hayden said on Australia’s SENQ radio.
“Bashir is a big, tall guy and yes, he will bounce a bit, but he doesn’t turn the ball that much.
“I think he will be the target, while Nathan Lyon is just a great spinner who finds a way to take wickets in all conditions.”
Asked whether Ben Stokes and Co could triumph over Australia this winter, Hayden replied: “They have the arsenal.
“We’ve probably got them covered in our bowling.
‘But their batting is a bit firmer and certainly more in shape, with some real confidence in it.’
The tourists were given a huge shock last week when Mark Wood left the field with a hamstring problem during the warm-up win over England Lions.
Given it was the same stage that Wood underwent surgery on in February, many England fans began to fear the worst for the Durham quick, who has suffered from injury problems for much of his Test career.
But there was a collective sigh of relief when Wood was given the all clear and was deemed fit enough to play the opening Test in Perth.
“It’s great news,” said England pace bowler Brydon Carse.
‘He has a few days off and then a lot of training until the first test.
‘For any player it can be a bit annoying waiting for the result of a scan. He was pretty sure it wouldn’t be anything serious and he got some positive news.
‘He has enormous resilience. “If you look at some of the setbacks he’s had in his career, it shows the character he has if he continues to come out and continue to go through the processes.”
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