England selected Will Jacks over Shoaib Bashir as their lead spinner for the third Ashes Test because they were “backed into a corner” by the team’s batting struggles, according to the tourists’ spin bowling coach Jeetan Patel.
England surprised many by leaving out Bashir at the Adelaide Oval, a ground where having a quality spin option is seen as essential, with the decision coming under the spotlight on Friday as Australia moved closer to taking an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series by dominating day three.
Jacks, who impressed with the bat after being brought in for the second Test in Brisbane, has so far taken four wickets in the match but has crucially gone at a high economy of well over five runs per over.
Bashir has been a regular under captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendan McCullum since making his Test debut as a 20-year-old in February 2024, but suffered a finger injury during the English summer and appeared out of form in England’s sole warm-up match before the first Test.
Will Jacks (R) was preferred to Shoaib Bashir for the third Test
Speaking to TNT Sports at the end of day three in Adelaide, Patel said: “We were backed into a corner having to play Jacksy by the fact that the first two pitches we played on have done a lot, and we probably needed that extra batting cover.
“I think everyone can understand that.
“But Bash is certainly, well in my eyes and I think everyone’s eyes on our side, is 100 per cent the number one spinner and what he does is a fantastic job for this team.”
Jacks’ struggles in Adelaide have been emphasised by the strong performance of Australia spinner Nathan Lyon, who took 2-70 in England’s first innings at an economy of just 2.5 an over.
Bashir has yet to feature for England in the series
The control exerted by Lyon, who became Australia’s second leading all-time Test wicket-taker with the second of his two dismissals, enabled skipper Pat Cummins to rotate his fast bowlers at the other end.
“I don’t think he’s bowled overly poorly,” Patel said of Jacks. “He may have missed a little bit short or a little bit straight every now and then.
“I think the way they’ve played Jacks has been fantastic. They’ve used their feet, they’ve got deep in the crease, they’ve used the legside and the offside.”
Travis Head remained unbeaten on 142 as Australia reached 271-4 in their second innings at the close to lead by 356 runs, with Alex Carey not out on 52 after scoring a super century in the first innings.
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England captain Ben Stokes explains the decision to recall Will Jacks ahead of the second Ashes Test at the Gabba.
Patel added: “Head is a fantastic player all round but the way I thought Alex Carey played him (Jacks) in the first innings sort of put some pressure back on us in terms of the fields we needed to set and the questions we needed to answer.
“I think he’s bowled ok. Going forward, we’re going to have to keep finding ways for him to do a bit better.”
Nasser: Bashir in a bad place if he’s worse than Jacks
Former England captain Nasser Hussain said that England’s decision to select Jacks over Bashir suggested the latter’s bowling is currently in “a bad place”.
During a discussion with fellow former England skipper Michael Atherton during the latest episode of the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, Hussain said: “Jacks’ control of length was all over the place.
“You (Atherton) said before the game, if they are bowling the same, Bashir and Jacks, then you have to go Jacks because of the batting and the fielding.
“I’d say Bashir is in a bad place if he’s bowling worse than Jacks at the moment.”
Jacks has struggled with the ball during the third Test
Atherton added that Lyon’s ability to maintain control had been a “massive difference” between the sides in Adelaide.
“Jacks couldn’t hold any pressure at all,” Atherton said. “Lyon yesterday, he got two wickets in his opening over, but didn’t pick up any more, but only went for two and a half runs and over.
“And we mentioned yesterday, in 40 degree heat, how important he was just in allowing the seamers to operate in shorter bursts.
“Jacks, in particular to left handers, and I don’t know why this is, seems to struggle with his line more. He got picked off both sides, got cut a lot.
“He conceded more than 100 in the end, more than five and a half runs and over, and that’s a massive difference.”
Ashes series in Australia 2025-26
Australia lead five-match series 2-0
