Bashir named in England XII for final Ashes Test

For the fifth Ashes Test against Australia in Sydney, England have chosen off-spinner Shoaib Bashir from a 12-man squad.

Despite starting the series as England’s first-choice spinner, Bashir has not participated in any of the first four games.

After being chosen for a 12-man squad in Perth, the 22-year-old missed the first Test and has since been left out in favor of Will Jacks, who has the all-round talent.

Seamer Matthew Potts will also play for England in the XII, with every change set for the visitors in the Melbourne matchup that Gus Atkinson missed with a hamstring injury.

England typically names their XI two days after a Test, under captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum.

The tourists have chosen to wait until the final matchday (23:30 GMT Saturday) before the Sydney Cricket Ground’s weather forecast is evaluated.

The pitch appeared to be covered in grass on Thursday, but by Friday it was no longer green.

Slow bowlers are typically helped by Sydney. Australian spinners Shane Warne, Stuart MacGill, and Nathan Lyon are the only four of the venue’s four top Test wicket-takers.

However, seam bowling has been the main focus this Ashes. In an Ashes series of at least four Tests, only nine wickets have been taken by spinners thus far, making it on par with the fewest taken by slow bowlers.

For the fourth Test, which England won by four wickets in Melbourne to reduce the series deficit to 3-1, Australia opted not to add a spinner.