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England have opted for a twelve-player selection just two days before the first Ashes Test, with Shoaib Bashir securing a unexpected place.

The 22-year-old’s inclusion indicates that the tourists will wait until the day of the initial match to decide whether Perth Stadium conditions favor a pace-heavy attack or the inclusion of a spinner.

Both pace bowlers are part of the selected squad, showing there are no doubts about their pace bowler’s fitness.

The other seamers complete the bowling group, with the latter most likely to be omitted if the spinner enters the starting XI.

Pitch Factors Lean Toward Seamers

The England coach had been expected to choose an pace-only lineup on a ground that has hosted several previous Tests.

During these games, the majority of dismissals have been taken by seamers, with only 40 to spin.

Of those spin dismissals, the veteran spinner has claimed the bulk, while all visiting spinners combined have just a handful.

At a venue renowned for its pace and bounce, and whose groundsman, Isaac McDonald, pledged that these traits are “a mainstay and not going to change,” a team loaded with fast bowlers is still the probable decision.

Spin Options Considered

There had been rumors that the all-rounder could be brought into the team to provide some slow bowling while also bolstering the batting lineup.

But the coach has opted to keep faith with Bashir, having stated previously that he would be his first-choice slow bowler for the series.

In July, Lyon described the English spinner as “decent,” saying that “from my perspective, Jack Leach is still England’s best spinner.”

“It is a huge responsibility, and it can be a significant test for people who haven’t done it in the previous in these conditions,” Lyon remarked of spin bowling in matches Down Under.

“I’m not going to let my secrets out so they come out and excel out here.”

English Selected Team for Opening Match

• The Captain
• The Pace Bowler
• Gus Atkinson
• Shoaib Bashir
• The Batsman
• The Fast Bowler
• Zak Crawley
• Ben Duckett
• Ollie Pope
• The Veteran
• The Wicketkeeper
• Mark Wood