Rookie spinner Shoaib Bashir 'very surprised' by England call-up for India tour

Uncapped spinner Shoaib Bashir has been called-up by England for the Test series in India, only six months after making his first-class debut.

The Somerset off-spinner has made just six senior red-ball appearances, taking 10 wickets at an average of 67, but has made the squad for the series that starts in Hyderabad on January 25.

Bashir, 21, earned a spot on a recent England Lions training camp in the UAE and impressed enough to be fast-tracked into the main squad.

“Life is always about how good someone’s good is, not how bad their bad is,” said Director of men’s cricket Rob Key. “He’s very raw – he’s going for experience as much as anyone else, albeit we won’t be afraid to play him if required. This is the start of his journey, where we will hopefully see a world-class spinner in the future."

“He’s got one of the higher release points in the game, he just looks like everything that you see in a classical off-spinner: a bit of real craft, a bit of real guile and a decent character as well.

“It can be different if you’re bowling at Virat Kohli out in India in front of 50,000 people but we feel like his character is very solid and he looks like his ceiling is very high.

Speaking to the Somerset website a few weeks ago, he suggested he had not even expected to be involved with the Lions this winter.

“When I got the call, I was very surprised,” he said. “I’m very grateful to get this opportunity and I’m excited to get started. I’m just going to keep working hard, learning and making the most of opportunities like this.”

Bashir is one of four spinners selected for the tour including Somerset team-mate Jack Leach, with the left-armer and England vice-captain Ollie Pope returning to the squad after injuries.

Fast bowler Gus