Somerset and England off-spinner Shoaib Bashir says being told he was not good enough to make it made him more determined to “prove a point”.
The 20-year-old made his England debut in February after a surprise call-up for the Test Series in India.
Bashir was released by Surrey as a teenager before being signed by Somerset.
“It’s not easy being a young kid and then getting told you’re not quite good enough to make it,” Bashir said.
“Getting up from that and knowing if you want something that bad you want to put in work for it, that’s sort of what I did. I really made an effort to improve myself as a cricketer and tried to prove a point.”
Bashir said it had been a “surreal couple of months” after making his England debut.
He only made his Somerset debut last season, playing in six first-class matches, seven limited-overs matches and five games during their T20 winning Blast campaign.
“The winter’s been quite the experience starting with the Lions out in Abu Dhabi on that two-week camp and then from there getting called up to play for your country. It’s been such a surreal couple of months and one that I’ll cherish for a long time,” he told BBC Points West.
“I got picked up from pretty much nowhere – Somerset came to me out of the blue and so has England as well.
“I’m just so grateful for the opportunity and so thankful to God because without him none of this would have happened.”
Bashir was fast-tracked into the England side after being spotted by Ben Stokes in a video that went viral, bowling to former England captain Sir Alastair Cook on the spinner’s County Championship debut against Essex.
Although Bashir’s debut was delayed because of visa issues, which meant he had to fly back home before returning to the England camp, he stepped out on the first day of the second Test in India and claimed 2-100.
“It was quite special. I remember walking out there and I was shaking – I was like, ‘I’m walking out with Ben Stokes, Joe Root here, this is the experience’.
“I was nervous until I had the ball in my hand and then I felt at home. I’ve been bowling a cricket ball for years and I sort of knew that in the back of my head and after I bowled that first bowl I was on it.”
Still young and still learning
Bashir was the 12th man for Somerset as they drew their County Championship opener against Kent last week but has been named in the squad for their second match away at Surrey, starting on Friday.
He said he is prepared for the conditions at home to be completely different to those he experienced in India.
“I’m still young, I’m still learning the game. I’m quite excited for what’s to come. I know bowling in County Championship conditions early doors in this rain is part of the experience as well. I’m still trying to develop my skills,” Bashir said.
“Bowling with different paces, different trajectories I need to work on, but also pace changes because the ball doesn’t spin as much as it did in India so you’ve got to beat the batsman in different ways.”
With England bowler Jack Leach also at Somerset, Bashir said he would be open to a loan move away from the county to gain more playing time and continue his development.
“It’s still a conversation that we’re trying to deal with. We know that Leachy is the main spinner here and I understand that and it’s just trying to find a way to play some first-team cricket if that’s here or maybe elsewhere,” Bashir said.
“Have to have a few discussions but if that’s the best way moving forward then I’m sure Somerset will be able to cater for that.”
