England’s coaching staff have reiterated their faith in Shoaib Bashir as the team’s premier spin bowler, despite his absence from the ongoing Test in Adelaide and a challenging performance from his replacement, Will Jacks.
With Australia building a formidable position in the match and the series, assistant coach Jeetan Patel addressed the selection decision after the third day’s play. He explained that Bashir was left out to bolster the batting lineup, a move that ultimately did not yield the desired result. Jacks contributed only six runs in England’s first innings and proved expensive with the ball, conceding over 200 runs for his three wickets.
Patel was clear in his assessment of the spin pecking order, stating, “Bash is our number one. He does a fantastic job for this team. Our approach is always to pick the side we believe is best suited for the conditions. With four seamers operating and Jacks in a supporting role, we felt that was the right balance here, though today didn’t unfold as we had planned.”
England’s resources were further stretched as captain Ben Stokes did not bowl during the day’s play, following a lengthy stint at the crease. Patel moved to dismiss concerns about a potential injury, suggesting fatigue was the primary factor. “He emptied the tank with that innings. He operates at full intensity or not at all, and he felt he couldn’t offer that today,” Patel explained.
Acknowledging the difficult position in the match, Patel emphasized the need for resilience. “The players are feeling it, but there were periods today where our planning and execution were excellent. We have to maintain belief,” he concluded.