 "Shoaib Bashir ruled out of remaining Tests against India after sealing thrilling victory at Lord's")
England off-spinner Shoaib Bashir was ruled out of the remainder of the Test series against India shortly after sealing his team's thrilling 22-run victory at Lord's on Monday. Bashir had ended Mohammed Siraj’s resistance in a bizarre manner shortly after tea on the final day of the third Test, with the ball rolling towards the leg stump despite the tail-ender blocking the tossed up delivery from the middle of the bat.
Bashir sprinted off in celebration along with his teammates as England regained the series lead over India with a thrilling victory at the ‘Home of Cricket’. What made the performance even more special was the fact that he bowled his team to victory and had also walked out to bat during England’s second innings despite suffering a fracture on a finger on his left hand.
Bashir had suffered the injury while attempting to collect a low catch off a powerful shot by Ravindra Jadeja on Day 3 at Lord’s. The off-spinner signalled for help immediately after getting hit on his left hand and could not complete his 15th over, taking no further part in the remainder of the innings.
‘A big shame’: Stokes
“It’s not good news for Bash. Very disappointing for us as a team and for him, a big shame,” England captain Ben Stokes said after the match, confirming Bashir getting ruled out of the remainder of the series.
“The courage that he showed to go out there and bat at the end for us and willing to sit there on the bench waiting for his moment to come on and bowl just proves how much it means to everyone who gets the opportunity to put the shirt on, that not even a couple of breaks is going to stop anyone getting out there,” he added.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsSenior batter Joe Root, who is quite handy an off-spinner, bowled 10 overs in Bashir’s absence. Root, however, bowled just one over during India’s chase of the 193-run target later in the game as Bashir made a slight recovery from the injury to be able to bowl nearly six overs.
It remains to be seen if England draft in Jack Leach, Rehan Ahmed or some other frontline spinner in Bashir’s place or bring all-rounder Jacob Bethell, who bowls left-arm spin, into the XI instead.
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