England have made a key change ahead of their must-win third Ashes Test in Adelaide, recalling fast bowler Josh Tongue while once again omitting Somerset spinner Shoaib Bashir. Tongue replaces the out-of-form Gus Atkinson in the pace attack as England seek to avoid falling 3-0 behind in the series following their eight-wicket defeat at the Gabba.
This single change signals a lack of confidence in Bashir, who was expected to play a significant role but remains sidelined, with Surrey all-rounder Will Jacks retained as the designated spinner. Jacks, known more for his white-ball exploits than his red-ball bowling, will take on an expanded bowling role despite only delivering 11 overs in the previous Test and impressing more with his batting and fielding.
Captain Ben Stokes had previously explained that Jacks’ selection was a “horses-for-courses” decision tailored to the day-night conditions of the second Test. However, that rationale is stretched thin with the Adelaide Oval’s pitch promising considerable assistance for spinners. Pitch curator Damian Hough confirmed that the surface will offer significant turn, and Australia has responded by recalling their premier spinner Nathan Lyon.
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Lyon himself expressed surprise that England might not select their best spinner for such conditions, highlighting the expectation that Bashir, considered England’s frontline spinner, would be included. Yet Bashir’s recent form has been poor. Since arriving in Australia, he has struggled for rhythm and effectiveness—leaking runs heavily during a warm-up match and going wicketless while conceding 115 runs against Australia A.
In contrast, Tongue is returning with a strong Ashes pedigree. He was England’s leading wicket-taker in the home series against India and had a memorable debut Ashes Test at Lord’s in 2023 where he took five wickets, including twice dismissing Steve Smith. Meanwhile, Atkinson’s three wickets at an average of 78.66 have seen him dropped after failing to make an impact.
Despite the spin-friendly conditions and Bashir’s prior match-winning performance against India—bowling through injury—England have opted to gamble on Jacks’ versatility and Tongue’s pace as they aim to keep their Ashes hopes alive.