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In a must-win match, when the opposing batters are scoring runs swiftly, it is the duty of the bowlers to turn around the momentum by taking wickets.
After Day 1 of the ongoing 3rd of the three-match Test series between England and New Zealand at Trent Bridge, young spinner Shoaib Bashir appeared as one of the weak links of the England bowling line-up.
Dinesh Karthik and Kumar Sangakkara explain why Shoaib Bashir remained less effective on Day 1 of the ENG vs NZ 3rd Test
The frontline spinner of the home team has bowled 22 overs so far in the match, without taking any wickets, with an economy rate of 4.41 and only a couple of maidens. The opening pair of New Zealand, skipper Tom Latham and Devon Conway, set the tone for the team as Latham scored 151 and 157 for Conway.
The pitch map of Bashir speaks a lot about how the batters scored runs with ease against Shoiab Bashir. At the studio of Sky Sports Cricket, former cricketers Dinesh Karthik and Kumar Sangakkara explain how the English spinner could improve his bowling in the match, and why he looked venomous on Day 1.
Shoaib Bashir chose the wrong length to bowl
As the pitch map displayed on the screen, Bashir pitched only 47% deliveries on the good length. For Karthik, this is where the spinner made the mistake against the opposite batters. According to the former Team India keeper-batter, on a pitch where there was barely anything for the spinners, Shoaib Bashir should round his arms for a few more deliveries on the good length area.
“Sadly, that isn't. When you're looking for control on a day one pitch where the pitch is not offering you much, if you're just pulling 47%, which is just under three deliveries and over, that means you have three hittable deliveries every over,” Dinesh Karthik explains.
“Even though he started his first spell quite nicely, it was a backhand when the batters got set, and that's when you needed more control, which he couldn't give. That's why his analysis is not as good as it should have been,” he added.
Dinesh Karthik asks Shoaib Bashir to improve his bowling style
Karthik observed that Bashir needs to work on his bowling action a little bit more because of the non-bowling arm. Shoaib Bashir, 22, a right-arm spinner, is yet to master the technical part of his bowling action.
“Now, if I can just get into one technical point here about what he needs to do, he's got a decent run-up, a little bit of momentum, but his non-bowling arm, there is a momentary pause you have as a bowler, then use your non-bowling arm. Now this is a very underrated part of bowling, this gives you the radar and direction, and this will help you with control,” Dinesh Karthik mentions during his analysis.
"That is NOT good enough from your frontline spinner!" 😬
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 26, 2026
Kumar Sangakkara and Dinesh Karthik discuss Shoaib Bashir's lack of control on day one at Trent Bridge 🔎 pic.twitter.com/eZqifTS5Qu
England started things nicely against New Zealand by winning the first Test at Lord’s. Then in the second match, without Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson on their side, the home team lost the match, and allows the Blackcaps to level the scoreline. As both of the teams have won one match each so far in the 3-match series, the ongoing, which is the third Test has become decisive in the contest.
