England have made a strategic adjustment for their must-win third Ashes Test in Adelaide by recalling pace bowler Josh Tongue, while again leaving young spinner Shoaib Bashir out of the squad. Tongue replaces the out-of-form Gus Atkinson, marking the only change from the side that suffered an eight-wicket defeat at the Gabba to fall 2-0 behind in the series.
This decision effectively confirms Surrey all-rounder Will Jacks as England’s preferred spinner for this Test, signaling a notable lack of confidence in Bashir’s readiness for the conditions. The 22-year-old Bashir had previously been viewed as a key player for England’s spin attack, but after missing opportunities on fast pitches in Perth and Brisbane, he remains unable to supplant Jacks — a player better known for his white-ball skills than red-ball spin bowling.
Captain Ben Stokes had assured Bashir that Jacks was chosen based on the specific demands of the day-night Test in Brisbane and not due to a lack of faith in Bashir’s abilities. Stokes explained, “He knows if it was down to picking our best spinner, he’d have played. If it ever comes down to picking our number one spinner, selection would go the other way.” However, this reasoning is being tested as Bashir is overlooked once again on a pitch renowned as one of the best in Australia for spin bowling.
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Pitch curator Damian Hough spoke confidently about the anticipated conditions ahead of the match, promising a surface that would offer significant turn in the Adelaide Oval. The Australians have named their premier spinner, Nathan Lyon, reinforcing expectations that spin bowling will play a major role. Lyon himself expressed surprise at the prospect of England not fielding their top spinner.
Will Jacks performed admirably in Brisbane, contributing a stunning catch and solid batting, though his 11 overs of part-time off-spin attracted mixed reviews. England seem willing to take a calculated risk by entrusting him with the ball more heavily despite his primary reputation as an all-rounder.
Bashir, who has claimed 68 wickets in 19 Tests at an average of 39, famously took the match-winning wicket against India despite bowling with a broken little finger last July. Yet since arriving in Australia, he has struggled to find rhythm and control. In warm-up matches, he leaked runs at over six per over and went wicketless against Australia A, conceding 115 runs.
Atkinson, meanwhile, has been dropped after a disappointing return of three wickets at an average of 78.66 across the first two Tests. Tongue, reinstated due to stronger recent performances — including being England’s leading wicket-taker against India and a five-wicket haul in his only previous Ashes Test at Lord’s in 2023 — is seen as a critical addition to bolster the pace attack.
England’s selectors clearly face a tough balancing act as they prepare for a pivotal match on a pitch expected to favor spin. For now, the decision to omit Bashir indicates a lack of faith in his current form over potential, leaving the spinner to await another opportunity to prove himself at the highest level.