Leach is 'over the moon for me' - Bashir

Shoaib Bashir says he has spoken to Jack Leach and understands why he is down his Somerset team-mate successful region cricket contempt becoming England’s first-choice spinner.

Bashir, 20, replaced Leach for nan location Test bid against West Indies aft impressing connected England’s circuit of India.

His 5-41 to vessel England to triumph successful nan 2nd Test astatine Trent Bridge made him nan youngest bowler to return a five-wicket haul successful a location Test.

On Leach, Bashir said: “We had a chat and he was complete nan satellite for me.

“Leachy understandably is getting successful nan Somerset squad up of me. He's played a batch much cricket than maine and he's a people spinner. I've learned a batch disconnected him.

“A batch of things person happened complete nan past fewer years for myself personally and I'm conscionable grateful for everything.”

Left-armer Leach has played 36 Tests for England, claiming 126 wickets.

But nan 33-year-old, who suffers from Crohn’s disease, has struggled for fittingness successful nan past year. He missed nan full location Ashes with a backmost injury, past picked up a limb wounded successful nan first Test against India and missed nan remainder of nan series.

Bashir was chosen for nan circuit of India contempt playing only six erstwhile first-class matches and picked up 2 five-wicket hauls successful 3 matches.

Still down Leach successful nan Somerset pecking order, Bashir went connected indebtedness to Worcestershire earlier this summertime successful bid to play successful nan County Championship.

When he made his England location debut successful nan first Test astatine Lord’s he was not required to vessel arsenic West Indies were beaten successful straightforward fashion.

He bowled successful a location Test for nan first clip successful Nottingham and became nan first spinner to return a five-wicket haul astatine Trent Bridge since 2006.

And Bashir said Leach told him to “enjoy” nan experience.

“A location crowd, it doesn't get amended than that,” added Bashir. “It’s conscionable truthful typical to make a location debut.”

Despite a humble home grounds – Bashir averages 77 pinch nan shot successful nan County Championship this summertime – England person identified him arsenic a Test bowler because of his skills and attributes.

At 6ft 4ins he is unusually gangly for a spinner and his merchandise constituent of 2.35m is nan third-highest recorded for a slow bowler successful Test cricket. England judge this tin beryllium peculiar limb connected nan hard, bouncy pitches of Australia connected nan Ashes circuit of 2025-26.

“I'm grateful I'm a 6ft 4in spinner because it's a bully property to have,” said Bashir. “If you onshore nan shot successful nan correct areas, a fewer will bounce and a fewer will skid on, truthful nan bounce does help.

“It's ever a learning curve. I'm grateful for everything that's been fixed to maine and I've conscionable sewage to support moving hard. I'm still learning, still developing.”

England clasp an unassailable 2-0 lead complete West Indies and will purpose for a 3-0 cleanable expanse successful nan 3rd Test astatine Edgbaston, which originates connected Friday.