Aged 20 and with 10 first-class wickets to his name, Shoaib Bashir was a shock inclusion in England's Test squad to tour India in early 2024. He signed for Somerset ahead of the 2023 season on a one-year contract after a successful trial, and made 18 appearances across formats in his first full summer.

A tall offspinner and lower-order batter, Bashir played age-group cricket for Surrey but was released at 17. He then played for Middlesex and Berkshire but his breakthrough to the professional game came after impressing for Somerset's second XI.

He played a walk-on role as they won the T20 Blast, and took six wickets in a high-scoring Championship draw against Hampshire. He quickly signed a two-year contract extension, and impressed on England Lions' tour to the United Arab Emirates in late 2023.
ESPNcricinfo staff