England spinner Shoaib Bashir hails the influence of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum on his rapid rise after starring on the opening day of the first Test in New Zealand

Shoaib Bashir paid tribute to the faith shown in him by Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum after taking four wickets on fluctuating opening day of England’s Test series in New Zealand.

Bashir’s figures of four for 69 took his tally in his first year of Test cricket to 45 – second only in 2024 to the Indian duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin – as New Zealand reached stumps on 319 for eight after being put in.

And he admitted that his captain’s attitude to the bad balls he occasionally serves up as he attempts to cement his role as England’s first-choice spinner has helped him focus on taking wickets rather than keeping down the runs.

‘He just looks at me and smiles,’ said Bashir. ‘That gives me so much belief. Stokesy and Baz back me 100%. I bowled plenty of bad balls out there, and I was still kept on. That just shows how much faith they have in me.’

Bashir’s rapid elevation has been one of the defining stories of the Bazball era. Despite turning 21 only last month, he has bowled far more overs – 457.3 – than anyone in Test cricket this year, and his regular breakthroughs were crucial in keeping England in the hunt on a sunny but blustery first day at Hagley Oval.

Not all his victims could be said to have been out-thought. Rachin Ravindra chipped a full-toss to midwicket, while No 9 Matt Henry was caught by Ben Duckett at long-on after hitting into a stiff wind.

He has hailed skipper Ben Stokes for the faith he has shown in him this year

Bashir is also grateful to head coach Brendon McCullum for sticking by him despite some inconsistent periods in his opening 12 months in Test cricket

But wicketkeeper Tom Blundell was undone by extra bounce, and cut to Gus Atkinson at backward point, while debutant Nathan Smith turned Bashir straight to Joe Root at leg slip.

It all meant Bashir was able to move on at the earliest opportunity from a tour of Pakistan where his nine wickets cost nearly 50 apiece and he was made to look like the novice he is by home spinners Sajid Khan and Noman Ali.

‘I wouldn’t say I was disappointed, but I was maybe a bit frustrated,’ he said. ‘I’m learning on the job – I’m not perfect. Every day, I feel I could play a lot better.’

Bashir admitted he was in awe of bowling to Kane Williamson, whose typically unobtrusive 93 was the cornerstone of the New Zealand innings after his return from a groin strain that ruled him out of the historic 3-0 win in India.

Williamson seemed to be heading inexorably for a 33rd Test century, until he cut Atkinson to Zak Crawley at backward point. But he was full of praise for the bowling of Bashir on a green-tinged surface that Stokes had imagined would help the seamers when he chose to bowl.

‘He did a fantastic job into the wind,’ said Williamson. ‘He got a bit of bounce as a tall guy. Often that’s a lot of the assistance you get, whether it’s as a seamer or a spin bowler. He made use of that and did a good job for his team.’

Bashir’s contributions at a venue where no Test spinner has taken a five-for were just as well for the tourists on a day when some scrappy cricket did not match the pristine surroundings of Hagley Park.

England donated 35 in extras, including 11 in no-balls – seven by Atkinson alone – and 10 in wides, while no one spotted that Ravindra had edged Stokes to Ollie Pope in the last over before lunch.

Two sets of overthrows added to the sense that they were not quite on their game, while Stokes – diving to his left at mid-off – dropped Glenn Phillips before he had scored. By the close, Phillips had advanced to 41.

For England’s seamers, it was a mixed day. Chris Woakes went wicketless as his struggles abroad continued, but Atkinson held a sharp return catch to remove Devon Conway in the game’s second over, and Brydon Carse looked as dangerous as he did during his debut series in Pakistan.

And while Stokes was England’s most expensive bowler, going at a rate of 4.53, his 13 overs helped balance the attack – and were three more than he sent down during his two comeback Tests at Multan and Rawalpindi. His biggest smiles, though, were reserved for Bashir.