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The English team has chosen a 12-man squad just 48 hours ahead of the first Ashes Test, with Shoaib Bashir securing a unexpected spot.

Bashir's inclusion suggests that the tourists will delay until the day of the first Test to determine whether the venue conditions suit four seamers or the inclusion of a spinner.

Both pace bowlers are part of the 12-man squad, indicating there are no doubts about either fast bowler's fitness.

The other seamers complete the bowling group, with the latter expected to miss out if the spinner enters the starting XI.

Pitch Factors Favor Pace Bowlers

The England coach had been anticipated to opt for an all-seam attack on a venue that has hosted several previous Tests.

In those matches, 134 wickets have fallen to seamers, with only a small number to spin.

Among these 40 wickets, the veteran spinner has taken 29, while all visiting spinners combined have just a handful.

On a ground renowned for its pace and bounce, and whose groundsman, Isaac McDonald, stated that these traits are “a mainstay and not going to change,” a team loaded with seamers remains the probable choice.

Spin Options Weighed

There had been rumors that the all-rounder could be brought into the side to offer some slow bowling while additionally bolstering the batting lineup.

But McCullum has chosen to stick with Bashir, having stated previously that he would be his preferred spinner for the series.

Earlier, Lyon described the English spinner as “decent,” saying that “from my perspective, the experienced spinner is still England’s top slow bowler.”

“This is a huge responsibility, and it can be a massive challenge for bowlers who haven’t done it in the past in these conditions,” he remarked of spin bowling in Australian Tests.

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

England Selected Team for Opening Match

• The Captain
• Jofra Archer
• The Seamer
• The Spinner
• The Batsman
• Brydon Carse
• Zak Crawley
• Ben Duckett
• The Middle-Order
• The Veteran
• The Wicketkeeper
• The Speedster