ENGLAND may have lost the Test series out in India but for Somerset’s young off spinner Shoaib Bashir the tour has been a resounding success.

The 20 year old who had only played six championship matches in which he had taken 10 wickets prior to being selected by England has certainly made his mark on the cricketing scene.

The tall off spinner who hails from Chertsey was signed after impressing for Berkshire in an Under-18  match against Somerset at the end of the 2022 season, played in three of the five matches during which he sent down 169 overs, the second most of any England player and took 17 wickets at an average of 33.35.

Bash was the only England bowler with two five wicket innings hauls, his best being five for 173  from 46.1 overs in India’s only innings in the final match that ended in Himachal Pradesh on Saturday morning.

The youngsters success will prove a headache for Somerset selectors, who assuming that Jack Leach has recovered from his knee injury in time could face the prospect of having to choose between their two England spinners for the championship opener against Kent on 5th April.