Bashir ‘not perfect’ and ‘learning on the job’

England off-spinner Shoaib Bashir said he is “not perfect” and “learning on the job” after his four wickets on the opening day of the first Test against New Zealand in Christchurch.

Bashir, 21, has had a rapid rise since making a surprise England debut on the tour of India. No other bowler has sent down more deliveries in Tests than Bashir this year.

The Somerset man struggled during the 2-1 series defeat in Pakistan last month, but his 4-69 helped limit New Zealand to 319-8 at Hagley Oval.

“I wouldn’t say I was disappointed but there was a bit of frustration when I was bowling out in Pakistan,” Bashir told the Test Match Special podcast.

“I’m still 21, I’ve still got a lot of learning to do. I’m just enjoying every moment and I’m just so thankful.”

After England won the toss and chose to field on a green surface, Bashir said he was not expecting to get through the 20 overs he bowled.

He had Rachin Ravindra clip a full toss to mid-wicket, only for Kane Williamson’s 93 to give New Zealand the upper hand.

But Williamson’s chop to point off Gus Atkinson opened the door for England and Bashir took the final three wickets to fall in the day. He is only the second spinner to take a four-wicket haul at Hagley Oval and has the opportunity to become the first to claim a five-for.

“I knew that if I did come on, I’d have a job to do and thankfully, I controlled the run-rate which was handy,” said Bashir.

Bashir’s success came despite a battle against a strong wind, which he bowled into for most of the day.

In three Tests in Pakistan, on surfaces offering plenty for the spinners, Bashir managed nine wickets at a cost of nearly 50 runs each. In Christchurch, he improved by dropping his pace, averaging 52.2mph compared to almost 58mph in Pakistan.

“I was bowling a touch slower but I was focusing on controlling my line with the wind,” he said.

“Because the wind was very strong, I was trying to focus on what I needed to do with my body to get the line I needed to bowl, which was outside off.”

Bashir has been elevated to England’s first-choice spinner ahead of Jack Leach and leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed.

Despite that, he remains behind Leach in the pecking order at Somerset and went on loan to Worcestershire during the summer.

Still, his 2,745 deliveries bowled in Test cricket this year is more than 500 than the next busiest bowler, Sri Lanka spinner Prabath Jayasuriya.

Only India’s Jasprit Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin, with 49 and 46 wickets respectively, have more than Bashir’s 45 in 2024.

“I’m learning on the job and I’m not perfect,” said Bashir. “Two years ago I didn’t have a county. I’m just very, very thankful for what has happened over the last year.”