February 2024 mein India ke khilaf debut se lekar, usne 15 Test khele, 49 wickets chapa, jisme do five-wicket hauls India mein aur ek 5/41 ka career-best West Indies ke khilaf Trent Bridge pe. Uska 6ft 4in ka lamba kad aur bounce nikalne ka style England ke captain Ben Stokes ko bada pasand aaya, jab usne Bashir ko pehli baar ek viral video mein Alastair Cook ko bowl karte dekha, jo uska first-class debut tha Somerset ke liye June 2023 mein. Par apne home county Somerset mein, Bashir ko regular khelne ka mauka nahi mil raha, kyunki Jack Leach aur naya off-spinning all-rounder Archie Vaughan usse aage hain. Uska Somerset ke saath contract 2025 season ke end pe khatam hone wala hai, toh ab uske future ke baare mein charcha garam hai.
Somerset mein kam mauka
Somerset mein Bashir ko County Championship team mein jagah ke liye badi competition hai. Jack Leach, ek experienced left-arm spinner jiske 36 Test mein 126 wickets hain, Somerset ka pehla pasandida spinner hai. Leach ke solid performances ne Bashir ke chances ko chhota kar diya. Iske alawa, Archie Vaughan, jo former England captain Michael Vaughan ka beta hai, ek off-spinning all-rounder ke roop mein ubhar raha hai, toh spin department mein competition aur tight ho gaya.
2024 County Championship season mein Bashir ne sirf thodi si matches kheli, jisme uska bowling average 77 raha, jo uske international record ke bilkul opposite hai. Zyada khelne ke liye, usko 2024 mein Worcestershire ke saath thodi der ke liye loan pe bheja gaya, jahan usne 5 Vitality Blast matches aur ek County Championship match khela. Abhi March 2025 mein, woh Glamorgan ke saath short-term loan pe gaya, jahan usne injured Mason Crane ki jagah pehli teen County Championship matches kheli. Yeh loan moves dikhate hain ki Somerset usko khelne ka mauka dene ke liye ready hai, par Taunton mein Leach aur Vaughan ke wajah se uska regular spot nahi hai.
England ka Bashir pe bharosa
County mein kam khelne ke bawajood, Bashir England ka pehla pasandida Test spinner ban gaya hai. Uska lamba kad, high release point (2.35m, jo Test cricket mein slow bowlers ke liye teesra sabse zyada hai), aur wicket lene wali balls ne usko Stokes aur coach Brendon McCullum ka favorite bana diya. Stokes ne khullam khulla uski tareef ki, usko “world-class spinner” banne ka potential bataya, aur uski Zimbabwe ke khilaf May 2025 ke one-off Test mein technical tweaks ko bhi saraha. England ka management Bashir ko agle Ashes tour ke liye bada asset manta hai, kyunki Australia mein uska bounce kaam aa sakta hai.
2024 mein West Indies ke khilaf home series ke liye Bashir ka Leach se pehle chuna jana thoda controversial tha, kyunki uska county record itna strong nahi tha. Par usne apne performances se sabko chup kara diya, jaise England ka sabse young bowler ban kar five-wicket haul lena. Michael Vaughan ne bhi Bashir ka support kiya, kaha ki uska international success Somerset ke limited opportunities se bada hai, kyunki Somerset Leach ko priority deta hai.
Loan moves aur future ka plan
Bashir ke Worcestershire (2024) aur Glamorgan (2025) ke loan spells ka maqsad usko first-team experience dilana tha. Glamorgan ka move khud ECB ne arrange kiya, jo uska one-year central contract hold karta hai aur chahta hai ki Bashir regular cricket khele. Glamorgan mein usko coach Richard Dawson, jo pehle England spinner tha, ke saath kaam karne ka mauka milega, aur shayad ambidextrous spinner Ben Kellaway ke saath Division Two matches mein bowl karega. Yeh opportunities Bashir ke liye zaroori hain, kyunki usne khud kaha hai ki usko consistency improve karni hai, par wicket-taking style bhi maintain karna hai.
Somerset ka contract khatam hone ke qareeb hai, toh log bol rahe hain ki Bashir shayad kisi aur county mein permanent shift kar le, jahan usko regular khelne ka mauka mile. X pe posts kehte hain ki Somerset mein mauke kam hone ki wajah se Bashir ko jaana pad sakta hai, aur kuch fans sochte hain ki Somerset ko England ke pehle spinner ko priority deni chahiye. Par Somerset ke head coach Jason Kerr ne kaha ki Leach ka lamba record aur experience unko pehla pasandida banata hai, par woh competition aur player development balance karna chahte hain.
Bashir ka view aur Leach ke saath dosti
Bashir ne Jack Leach ke saath apne relation ke baare mein accha bola hai, usko apna mentor bataya jo uske development mein bada role play karta hai. Usne kaha ki jab woh Somerset ke Second XI mein tha, tab Leach ne uski bowling action ki tareef ki thi aur ab bhi tips deta rehta hai. Bashir samajhta hai ki Leach jaise experienced player ke wajah se usko peeche rehna padta hai, par woh regular cricket khelne ke liye loan moves ke liye open hai, jaise usne April 2024 mein kaha: “Bas koshish hai first-team cricket khelne ki, yahan ya shayad kahi aur.”
Aage kya ho sakta hai
Jab Bashir ka Somerset contract 2025 mein khatam hoga, toh kuch possibilities hain:
- Kisi aur county mein permanent move: Glamorgan jaise county, jo spinners ko regular khelati hai, Bashir ko permanent deal offer kar sakti hai. Glamorgan ka loan spell ek trial ho sakta hai, agar usne wahan accha perform kiya toh.
- Somerset ke saath contract extend: Somerset shayad uska contract extend kare, spin lineup ko rearrange karke Bashir aur Leach dono ko jagah de, par yeh thoda mushkil lagta hai kyunki Vaughan bhi ubhar raha hai.
- Loan moves continue: Somerset aur ECB loan moves continue kar sakte hain, jisse Bashir ko khelne ka mauka mile aur woh Somerset se contract mein rahe.
- International cricket pe focus: ECB ke central contract ke saath, Bashir ka focus Test cricket pe ho sakta hai, par lambi development ke liye usko regular first-team cricket chahiye, jo shayad usko kisi aur county mein jana padega.
Shoaib Bashir ka Somerset se 2025 contract khatam hone ke baad nikalne ka scene international stardom aur county mein kam opportunities ke beech ka clash hai. India aur West Indies ke khilaf uske zabardast performances ne usko England ka pehla Test spinner banaya, par Somerset mein Jack Leach aur Archie Vaughan ke wajah se usko mauka nahi mil raha. Worcestershire aur Glamorgan ke loan spells ne thodi relief di hai, par uska long-term future shayad kisi aisi county mein hai jo usko regular khelne ka chance de. Jaise woh England ke Test summer ke liye tayyari karta hai, jisme Zimbabwe aur India ke khilaf matches hain, Bashir ka development international duties aur regular first-team cricket ke balance pe depend karega, jo shayad usko Somerset ke baad naya chapter shuru karne pe majboor kare.
