Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) [India], January 30 (ANI): England’s uncapped spinner Shoaib Bashir on Tuesday arrived in Visakhapatnam ahead of the second Test of the five-match series against India at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium.
After England succeeded in the first Test with a 28-run win, the visitors along with the India team arrived in Visakhapatnam ahead of the second Test which will begin on Friday.
Bashir missed out on the first Test in Hyderabad owing to the delay in sorting out his visa issues, the 20-year-old promising spinner.
He got his visa on the eve of the opening clash and now will be available for selection for the second Test.
India will be keen for redemption after going 1-0 down in the series. The hosts were in complete control of the Test and dominated the visitors. But on Day 3, Ollie Pope stepped onto the crease and changed the entire complexion of the game with his reverse sweeps.
He not only brushed off India’s 190-run lead but went on to hand England a target that could be defended on a tricky surface with his knock of 196.
Debutant Tom Hartley introduced himself and spun India’s batters out with his spell of 7/62. He ended the Test with 9/193 which is the best figure for an England spinner on Test debut since 1945.
His nine wickets tally in the first Test in a match is the joint-most since former English spinner Robert Berry’s 9/116 against West Indies in Manchester in 1950.
Hartley also became just the fourth England spinner to claim a five-wicket haul on Test debut in this century. (ANI)
