by Shoaib Bashir’s selection in the England Test squad for India surprised everyone, including the young spinner. It didn’t occur to Bashir that a missed call with a New Zealand dialing code could be from Brendon McCullum, who was trying to deliver the good news.
The chances of the England manager trying to call him seemed so remote that Bashir gave no further thought to the missed call.
“I thought, ‘Who is this? He could be anyone random,’” the 20-year-old tells Telegraph Sport in his first newspaper interview.
It took a follow-up WhatsApp message from McCullum to Bashir to get a response, and this time it was instant.
“I didn’t think anyone was cheating on me, and I didn’t think much about it until I realized it. Then I thought, ‘Wow, it’s Baz,’” Bashir explains. “Honestly, I can’t put it into words right now, and it’s been two or three days. It’s so special. I’m delighted to have a chance; “It is very, very crazy news.”
When the news finally began to sink in, Bashir cried tears of joy.
Bashir, a veteran of just six first-class appearances, has been chosen as much for what he could become as for what he is now. But if he is to thrive – or even survive – on what will be a ruthless first subcontinental voyage, Bashir will need to fully utilize his advanced set of tricks unusual for someone so young.
“I have the rotating shaft, the lower cutter, a side rotating shaft and a ball for the arm. And I am also working on a Carrom ball,” he adds enthusiastically. “I have some and I think they would work quite well in India.”
In addition to that variety of deliveries, Bashir’s lanky 6ft 4in frame provides added bounce while his huge hands help him bowl with control beyond his years. There is no doubt that his potential far surpasses his current record of 10 first-class wickets at 67 each.
“People tell me all the time that I have long fingers. It makes me laugh,” she says with a broad smile, speaking from Somerset’s base in Taunton.
Bashir has just returned from the England Lions’ trip to the United Arab Emirates, where his six for 42 against Afghanistan A certainly tilted the selection dial in his favour. However, it was time spent with coaches Graeme Swann and Andrew Flintoff that broadened Bashir’s horizons.
“Legends,” he says. “What good boys. You look at them and remember those old thoughts of them taking posts and hitting the ball. It’s just amazing. Working with them now is incredible.”
What wisdom did former off-spinner Swann, whose 255 Test wickets included 28-28.96 in India, impart?
“He moved away from the technical aspect of the game,” Bashir says. “We focus on setting up the fields when the ball spins and when it doesn’t spin. We focus more on how to get hitters out than changing the run or how the ball comes out of the hand.”
Bashir’s action, with its repeatability and high release point, is natural. Despite his height, he never threw seams and technical adjustments have been minimal. He describes himself as “attacking and aggressive at times” with a penchant for mind games.
“I like to play with the batsmen’s minds,” admits Bashir. Was this how, at Chelmsford in June, Bashir managed to twice beat Alistair Cook’s outside edge in his first professional over? “Probably not, because that was my debut! But it’s things like running and stopping like I’m not feeling well. Then the batter says, ‘Oh, why did he do that? Are you trying to change something?
“But that day was incredible. Him being my first time was… crazy. She came out very well. Those two videos on how to overcome the outer edge will stay with me for a long time.”
How many times have you seen those now viral clips? A pause, before an unconvincing “not many” emerges amid laughter. Although Bashir did not speak to Cook afterwards, he did pick the brain of prolific Essex South African Simon Harmer.
Suddenly, Bashir stops mid-conversation. Perhaps because it is only now that he has the opportunity to reflect on the past 18 months, he, without being asked, says: “My journey has been very special. Honestly. “I am very grateful for everything that has happened to me.”
Because there have been obstacles along the way. Cricket was the only sport Bashir played as a child and he remembers sitting on the boundary “ever since he was in diapers” with his brother Mohsin, waiting for a greeting from Uncle Saj who kept the wicket for his club.
Cricket time was split between Surrey Pathway and Guildford CC, the club of England internationals Ollie Pope, Will Jacks and Martin Bicknell; such is his youth, Bashir confesses to not being entirely aware of the latter.
But at 17 he was deemed surplus to requirements at Surrey. “The difficult thing was finding someone who would accept me again,” he explains. “I went to places like Hampshire, which didn’t really give me an answer. “Then I went to Middlesex, but I only played two games there.”
Berkshire, however, gave Bashir a warm welcome. He starred in his 2022 summer, and five for 26 in a win over Somerset U18s sparked interest from his current county: “Matt Drakeley [Somerset’s head of talent pathway] I was asked if I was available to play a Somerset 2 match at Guildford, my local club.
“And I thought, ‘Of course, I wouldn’t miss this for the world.’ I played it, but he was affected by the rain. We were in Warwickshire the following week, I took five wickets there and caught Somerset’s attention. And now I am here. “It’s crazy.”
Bashir’s smile returns when asked about his Somerset teammates’ reaction to his inclusion in the trial. The love between him and them is mutual. “I see these guys as my family away from home,” he explains.
Among his closest friends is James Rew, and Bashir was in the middle when Rew hit his first first-class double century against Hampshire in July. The only thing that came close to breaking Rew’s concentration was laughing at Bashir smoking sixes at the other end. “It was a highlight,” Bashir says. “He calls me funny, but I try to act normal.”
Bashir is also close to Sonny Baker, Alfie Ogborne and Andrew Umeed, and the quartet live together in the Somerset accommodation. For decades, those apartments have been occupied by the county’s young professionals and are notoriously messy.
“However, I like things to be fairly organized,” Bashir says. “I like things to be done on time. I don’t like being late for training. That’s how I was raised. That stuck with me. Now I feel like if I’m late for something, I’ve created a bad impression. “It’s good to have it.”
Also integral to Bashir’s upbringing is his Muslim faith, and next year’s Ramadan partially overlaps with the tour of England. “I feel like religion is who I am today,” he says. “I believe that God has a plan for you, and everything that is good he will give to you, and what is not good, he will push away. But he can also take away the good from us.
“I thank God every day for every opportunity he has given me, and he showered me with a huge blessing by being selected to play for England.”
And with that, Bashir returns to his room. Baker has left unwashed dishes that need attention. Again.
