Former England opener Geoffrey Boycott has encouraged young off-spinner Shoaib Bashir to study the techniques of Nathan Lyon, whom he considers the leading off-spinner in world cricket. Since making his debut on this year’s tour of India, Bashir has taken 29 wickets in seven Tests. However, he struggled in the second innings of the series opener against Sri Lanka in Manchester, ending wicketless as the batsmen effectively handled his lines and lengths.
“Bashir has talent and plenty of room to improve,” Boycott observed. “At his height and with a smooth, high action, he can generate bounce on hard pitches along with a natural loop. However, he seems unsure about the ideal line to bowl, leading him to try different deliveries in search of wickets.”
Boycott highlighted Lyon as the ideal role model for Bashir. “Nathan Lyon is the best off-spinner in the game today, with 530 wickets at an average of 30. I recommend Bashir studies footage of Lyon’s bowling. Lyon approaches the stumps closely, creating a slight drift away from the batsman while targeting the area outside off the stump to spin the ball back towards the stumps. His straighter deliveries bring slips into play, and he cleverly sets a short square leg for bat-pad nicks. This approach enables him to trouble right-handers both on the inside and outside edges.”
Boycott also stressed the importance of consistency in Test cricket. “To succeed as a bowler, line and length must work together. While a good line is crucial, being too short or too full makes the ball easier to hit. Conversely, a great length but poor line—especially if too straight—leads to easy runs on the leg side.”
In addition, Boycott emphasised the need for Bashir to develop a dependable stock ball for Test matches. “Bashir must recognise that constantly chasing wickets, though admirable, can result in costly overs. Sometimes, when two batsmen settle on a flat pitch, seamers might be given the better end while spinners must take on the tougher role of keeping the runs down. This is where a solid stock ball becomes essential.”
England currently leads the three-match series against Sri Lanka 1-0. The second Test is set to take place at Lord’s on August 29, followed by the final match at The Oval on September 6.