*Official* Road to the 2025-26 Ashes

[Molehill]

On paper maybe, did you watch him bowl? He's ****ing awful. No control, all but 2 of his wickets were caught on the boundary, and one of those was Siraj. He'll get absolutely slaughtered in Australia, especially coming in off the back of zero cricket seeing as he's injured.

Yeah I did watch and there's no doubt he was improving through the series. I've taken massive issue with his selection in the past, but he actually wasn't that bad on wickets where no spinner got out unscathed. He took 10 wickets in 3 matches, Washy and Jadeja effectively got 14 between them in 9. Maybe he does get a few on the boundary, but if the Aussies want to come at him then Stokes will have a field for that.

I'd take him and Rehan as the spinners.....although not expecting them to do that much if the wickets are anything like the BGT.

 

[RightArmMystery]

Yeah I did watch and there's no doubt he was improving through the series. I've taken massive issue with his selection in the past, but he actually wasn't that bad on wickets where no spinner got out unscathed. He took 10 wickets in 3 matches, Washy and Jadeja effectively got 14 between them in 9. Maybe he does get a few on the boundary, but if the Aussies want to come at him then Stokes will have a field for that.

Was he improving? I thought he maintained his level of shitness throughout the series. There's zero comparison between the state of his bowling and the bowling of Sundar and Jadeja, they're leagues above him. And if you think they bowled to a similar standard, I genuinely don't believe you actually watched them bowl.

"A few on the boundary" nice way to spin it (ironic, given Bashir doesn't), he gets almost all of his wickets from batters slogging him. He's dog ****. Doesn't turn it, doesn't land it consistently, bowls far too many gimmees, he's dreadful. Also can't bat, can't field and won't have played any cricket for 4 months, what a combination. We might as well not bother taking a spinner if he's the one we're going with.

 

[ImpatientLime]

Was he improving? I thought he maintained his level of shitness throughout the series. There's zero comparison between the state of his bowling and the bowling of Sundar and Jadeja, they're leagues above him. And if you think they bowled to a similar standard, I genuinely don't believe you actually watched them bowl.

"A few on the boundary" nice way to spin it (ironic, given Bashir doesn't), he gets almost all of his wickets from batters slogging him. He's dog ****. Doesn't turn it, doesn't land it consistently, bowls far too many gimmees, he's dreadful. Also can't bat, can't field and won't have played any cricket for 4 months, what a combination. We might as well not bother taking a spinner if he's the one we're going with.

i ain't here to defend bashir but i cannot emphasise strongly enough just how abysmal jadeja was in that series just gone with the ball. just about as pointless a bowler as you could get in those conditions. going at 3.5 rpo and taking a wicket every 20 overs. he was worse than bashir.

washy was clear of both by a long way.

 

[RightArmMystery]

Jadeja definitely wasn't good in the series, but that's a different bar to set compared with comparing him against Bashir. Sundar was miles clear, Jadeja just by being able to land the ball in somewhat the right place and actually get the ball to turn sometimes is still miles better than Bashir.

 

[ashley bach]

It's hard to believe at 21 Bashir has already played 19 tests. Still plenty of time to improve but jeez he really needs to.
Hard to see anything other than doom and gloom for him should he play in the ashes.

 

[Gob]

It's hard to believe at 21 Bashir has already played 19 tests. Still plenty of time to improve but jeez he really needs to.
Hard to see anything other than doom and gloom for him should he play in the ashes.

I like him a lot cos he reminds me of my own bowling

 

[Gob]

I'm a big fan of him, tall, handsome etc but I wouldn't pay attention to anything that comes out of his mouth

Edit: I just got it

Really? Not even w ank forrell?

 

[Nintendo]

https://x.com/StickToCricket/status/1954937708041683297

May have changed, but I saw this. Hameed in, Pope out. Ahmed at 8.

Weird. He did a podcast with Kimber and said something different my b.

 

[Molehill]

Was he improving? I thought he maintained his level of shitness throughout the series. There's zero comparison between the state of his bowling and the bowling of Sundar and Jadeja, they're leagues above him. And if you think they bowled to a similar standard, I genuinely don't believe you actually watched them bowl.

"A few on the boundary" nice way to spin it (ironic, given Bashir doesn't), he gets almost all of his wickets from batters slogging him. He's dog ****. Doesn't turn it, doesn't land it consistently, bowls far too many gimmees, he's dreadful. Also can't bat, can't field and won't have played any cricket for 4 months, what a combination. We might as well not bother taking a spinner if he's the one we're going with.

Was anyone actually spinning it on these wickets though? Washy's 4fer included Root getting bowled round his legs whilst sweeping and Stokes missing a slog whilst batting with the tail. The spinners were largely only taking wickets when the batsmen offered them a chance.

You can go back through my posts, I have massively questioned the Bashir selection (especially pre-Zimbabwe when he annoyingly got that 6fer), but I wasn't the only one who noticed him bowling better at Lord's (@Chin Music also commented on it). I think England would have won more comfortably had he been available throughout the 2nd innings.

It's interesting that despite having played 10 CC games, Rehan has actually only bowled 20 more overs than Bashir did in his 3 Tests.

As an aside, not convinced by Rehan's batting. He may score runs in the 2nd Div, but having watched his dismissal to Worrall in the 100 last night (yeah I know, it's only the 100), got a feeling someone like Hazlewood would very quickly have his number.

 

[Chin Music]

Was anyone actually spinning it on these wickets though? Washy's 4fer included Root getting bowled round his legs whilst sweeping and Stokes missing a slog whilst batting with the tail. The spinners were largely only taking wickets when the batsmen offered them a chance.

You can go back through my posts, I have massively questioned the Bashir selection (especially pre-Zimbabwe when he annoyingly got that 6fer), but I wasn't the only one who noticed him bowling better at Lord's (@Chin Music also commented on it). I think England would have won more comfortably had he been available throughout the 2nd innings.

It's interesting that despite having played 10 CC games, Rehan has actually only bowled 20 more overs than Bashir did in his 3 Tests.

As an aside, not convinced by Rehan's batting. He may score runs in the 2nd Div, but having watched his dismissal to Worrall in the 100 last night (yeah I know, it's only the 100), got a feeling someone like Hazlewood would very quickly have his number.

I thought it was Headingley, where Bashir was bowling a lot better than I had seen him, especially given the utter road there. His control and at least some variations in pace looked a marked improvement. Like most, I had a low expectation of him and he bowled a lot better than I would have envisioned. Especially against India. Was ok at Lord’s too. Up to a point you have to look at general consistency rather than bowling figures given the circumstances. He was a lot more consistent than he has been previously.

Re Rehan, I get the excitement but I am also sceptical that this translates into him being a successful upper order player, especially in the near future.

 

[Spark]

Washy's 4fer included Root getting bowled round his legs whilst sweeping and Stokes missing a slog whilst batting with the tail.

These were not accidental wickets and to think these were just luck really shows a lack of understanding of spin bowling on wickets that aren't necessarily turning a lot. Washington fully deserved the wickets he got that day.

 

[Molehill]

These were not accidental wickets and to think these were just luck really shows a lack of understanding of spin bowling on wickets that aren't necessarily turning a lot. Washington fully deserved the wickets he got that day.

Not suggesting they weren't. But how come it's ok for Washy to get wickets when batsmen play attacking shots but not Bashir? I'll say it again, I'm not Bashir's biggest fan, but we need to have some consistency when evaluating what he achieved in this series.

 

[govinda indian fan]

Not suggesting they weren't. But how come it's ok for Washy to get wickets when batsmen play attacking shots but not Bashir? I'll say it again, I'm not Bashir's biggest fan, but we need to have some consistency when evaluating what he achieved in this series.

Lol washy got batsmen beaten for flight while bashir got them caught at long off/on bowling long hops

 

[LangleyburyCCPlayer]

I thought it was Headingley, where Bashir was bowling a lot better than I had seen him, especially given the utter road there. His control and at least some variations in pace looked a marked improvement. Like most, I had a low expectation of him and he bowled a lot better than I would have envisioned. Especially against India. Was ok at Lord’s too. Up to a point you have to look at general consistency rather than bowling figures given the circumstances. He was a lot more consistent than he has been previously.

Re Rehan, I get the excitement but I am also sceptical that this translates into him being a successful upper order player, especially in the near future.

I remember Bashir's wickets came from slogs, but slogs where he had deceived the batters with a change in pace. Stokes has asked for fast bouncy wickets in England but to no avail, so Bashir is still untried in anything like Australian conditions so he's worth a try for the first Test (don't think we'll bother with him for the pink ball Tests)

I think I saw @mackembhoy say that Rehan was injured earlier in the season and that's why he hadn't bowled as much this season up until his 13-fer. I too don't think Rehan is an international top order player, but I think he could be the Stokes replacement as the all-rounder in time

 

[TheJediBrah]

Not suggesting they weren't. But how come it's ok for Washy to get wickets when batsmen play attacking shots but not Bashir? I'll say it again, I'm not Bashir's biggest fan, but we need to have some consistency when evaluating what he achieved in this series.

Bro come on lol I reckon you're deliberately twisting this

Bashir didn't bowl bad because he only got wickets caught on the fence. He only got wickets caught on the fence because he bowled bad. He's being judged not purely on results, which were bad, but on his actual bowling, which was bad. Whereas the Indian bowlers, especially Wash, bowled better

 

[Molehill]

Bro come on lol I reckon you're deliberately twisting this

Bashir didn't bowl bad because he only got wickets caught on the fence. He only got wickets caught on the fence because he bowled bad. He's being judged not purely on results, which were bad, but on his actual bowling, which was bad. Whereas the Indian bowlers, especially Wash, bowled better

If you get someone caught on the fence then you've clearly deceived them a little, otherwise it goes for 6.

Washy took 7 wickets in 4 Tests, so he wasn't exactly running through England.

They were just **** wickets for spinners though and I wouldn't really judge any of them. But Bashir was still the top wicket taking spinner in the series and he played in less Tests than the others. He must've been doing something right (or something less **** than Jadeja anyway).

I don't expect him to have much success in Aus, but I wouldn't kick him out based on this Summer's efforts either.

 

[cascade]

I remember Bashir's wickets came from slogs, but slogs where he had deceived the batters with a change in pace. Stokes has asked for fast bouncy wickets in England but to no avail, so Bashir is still untried in anything like Australian conditions so he's worth a try for the first Test (don't think we'll bother with him for the pink ball Tests)

He isn't though. He played against Aus A and CAXI earlier this year and didn't show much to suggest he's going to be a good option for the Ashes from what I recall.

 

[Burgey]

It would be close to a cricketing miracle if Bashir had good returns in the Ashes. Australia is a graveyard for nearly all visiting spinners, even those who are well credentialed elsewhere. You occasionally find a quick who comes out of nowhere to do well here but I can't recall a spinner who's been mediocre everywhere else yet come to Aus and excelled.

 

[Molehill]

He isn't though. He played against Aus A and CAXI earlier this year and didn't show much to suggest he's going to be a good option for the Ashes from what I recall.

https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/england-lions-in-australia-2024-25-1468871/australia-a-vs-england-lions-only-unofficial-test-1468875/full-scorecard

Hard to tell really. England only played about 3 batsmen in this for some reason (Tongue at 7 FFS). But no Aussie spinner took a wicket.

I've also just learnt from this that Hardie was born in England, never knew that.

It would be close to a cricketing miracle if Bashir had good returns in the Ashes. Australia is a graveyard for nearly all visiting spinners, even those who are well credentialed elsewhere. You occasionally find a quick who comes out of nowhere to do well here but I can't recall a spinner who's been mediocre everywhere else yet come to Aus and excelled.

And if the wickets are anything like the BGT, then it's hardly worth playing one anyway. Rehan may get the gig on the basis he may score some runs.

 

[LangleyburyCCPlayer]

https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/england-lions-in-australia-2024-25-1468871/australia-a-vs-england-lions-only-unofficial-test-1468875/full-scorecard

Hard to tell really. England only played about 3 batsmen in this for some reason (Tongue at 7 FFS). But no Aussie spinner took a wicket.

I've also just learnt from this that Hardie was born in England, never knew that.



And if the wickets are anything like the BGT, then it's hardly worth playing one anyway. Rehan may get the gig on the basis he may score some runs.

I certainly wouldn't be against Rehan being the spinner, but seeing as we've picked a kid from nowhere based on his release height and backed him to the hilt all the way until the Ashes, it would seem an odd time to drop him now