News
IPL
Women’s Premier League (WPL)
Features
Fantasy Cricket
Watch
Interviews
MP T20 League
Social Reactions
Betting Tips
Contact
Privacy Policy
Cookie Policy

Not Liam Dawson, Nathan Lyon Rates Overlooked Veteran As the Best England Test Spinner

Darpan Jain

He has not been in England's plans lately.

Australia’s off-spinner Nathan Lyon had a detailed talk about the current spin stocks in English cricket, who have a few options to work with. They have consistently preferred Shoaib Bashir over the likes of Jack Leach and Liam Dawson due to his attributes – tall and high release points, which have been a common criterion for selecting spinners since Ben Stokes took over.

Upcoming – t10 – United Kingdom
ECS England, Wimbledon, 2025
01 Aug 2025, 02:30 PM IST
London County Cricket LCC

Wimbledon WIM

Upcoming – t10 – United Kingdom
ECS England, Wimbledon, 2025
01 Aug 2025, 04:30 PM IST
Guildford GUI

Wimbledon WIM

Upcoming – t10 – United Kingdom
ECS England, Wimbledon, 2025
01 Aug 2025, 06:30 PM IST
London County Cricket LCC

CFS Pinnacle Pro CPP

Upcoming – t10 – United Kingdom
ECS England, Wimbledon, 2025
01 Aug 2025, 08:45 PM IST
CFS Pinnacle Pro CPP

Guildford GUI

Upcoming – t10 – United Kingdom
ECS England, Wimbledon, 2025
01 Aug 2025, 10:45 PM IST
London County Cricket LCC

Guildford GUI

Upcoming – t10 – Gibraltar
ECS Gibraltar T10, 2025
02 Aug 2025, 12:15 PM IST
Sloggers SLG

Pirates PIR

Upcoming – t10 – Gibraltar
ECS Gibraltar T10, 2025
02 Aug 2025, 02:15 PM IST
Gaming CC GCC

Rugby CC RUCC

Upcoming – t10 – Gibraltar
ECS Gibraltar T10, 2025
02 Aug 2025, 04:15 PM IST
Sloggers SLG

Gaming CC GCC

Upcoming – t10 – Gibraltar
ECS Gibraltar T10, 2025
02 Aug 2025, 06:15 PM IST
Rugby CC RUCC

Pirates PIR

Upcoming – t10 – Gibraltar
ECS Gibraltar T10, 2025
02 Aug 2025, 08:15 PM IST
Sloggers SLG

Rugby CC RUCC

Upcoming – t10 – Gibraltar
ECS Gibraltar T10, 2025
02 Aug 2025, 10:30 PM IST
Gaming CC GCC

Pirates PIR

Upcoming – t10 – Gibraltar
ECS Gibraltar T10, 2025
03 Aug 2025, 12:30 AM IST
Sloggers SLG

Pirates PIR

Upcoming – t20 – Kamrup Metropolitan
GTC Spring T20 Cup, 2nd Edition, 2025
01 Aug 2025, 09:00 AM IST
Bud Cricket Club BCC

Nabajyoti Club NAJC

Upcoming – t20 – Kamrup Metropolitan
GTC Spring T20 Cup, 2nd Edition, 2025
01 Aug 2025, 01:15 PM IST
Guwahati Giants GUG

City Cricket Club CCC

Upcoming – t20 – Kamrup Metropolitan
GTC Spring T20 Cup, 2nd Edition, 2025
02 Aug 2025, 09:00 AM IST
Navarang Club NVR

Gauhati Town Club GTC

Upcoming – t20 – Kamrup Metropolitan
GTC Spring T20 Cup, 2nd Edition, 2025
02 Aug 2025, 01:15 PM IST
91 Yards Club 91YC

Guwahati Giants GUG

Upcoming – t10 – Kuwait City
KCC T10 Summer League, 2025
01 Aug 2025, 09:00 PM IST
ACE KRM Panthers KRMPS

Bader & Nie Cricket Club BNC

Upcoming – t10 – Kuwait City
KCC T10 Summer League, 2025
01 Aug 2025, 11:00 PM IST
Kuwait Swedish KUMS

SBS CC SBSCC

Upcoming – t10 – Kuwait City
KCC T10 Summer League, 2025
02 Aug 2025, 01:00 AM IST
Keraniganj Challengers KGC

Jhelum Jaguars JJ

Upcoming – t20 – Kuwait City
KCC T20 Summer League, 2025
02 Aug 2025, 10:30 PM IST
ACE KRM Panthers KRMPS

TBC TBC

Upcoming – t20 – Klang
MCA Men’s T20 Inter-State Championship, 2025
01 Aug 2025, 07:00 AM IST
Selangor SEL

Johor JOR

Upcoming – t20 – Kuala Lumpur
MCA Men’s T20 Inter-State Championship, 2025
01 Aug 2025, 07:30 AM IST
Kelantan KELN

Melaka MEL

Upcoming – t20 – Klang
MCA Men’s T20 Inter-State Championship, 2025
01 Aug 2025, 11:30 AM IST
Perak PRK

Kuala Lumpur KLPR

Upcoming – t20 – Kuala Lumpur
MCA Men’s T20 Inter-State Championship, 2025
01 Aug 2025, 12:00 PM IST
Sarawak SRAK

Penang PENG

Upcoming – t20 – Klang
MCA Men’s T20 Inter-State Championship, 2025
02 Aug 2025, 07:00 AM IST
Pahang PHG

Selangor SEL

Upcoming – t20 – Kuala Lumpur
MCA Men’s T20 Inter-State Championship, 2025
02 Aug 2025, 07:30 AM IST
Johor JOR

Kelantan KELN

Upcoming – t20 – Klang
MCA Men’s T20 Inter-State Championship, 2025
02 Aug 2025, 11:30 AM IST
Putrajaya PUT

Perak PRK

Upcoming – t20 – Kuala Lumpur
MCA Men’s T20 Inter-State Championship, 2025
02 Aug 2025, 12:00 PM IST
Kuala Lumpur KLPR

Sarawak SRAK

Upcoming – t20 – South Mackay
Mackay T20 Championship, 2025
01 Aug 2025, 10:00 AM IST
Pirates PRS

Comets CMT

Upcoming – t20 – South Mackay
Mackay T20 Championship, 2025
01 Aug 2025, 01:30 PM IST
Marlins MAR

Rockets ROC

Upcoming – t20 – South Mackay
Mackay T20 Championship, 2025
02 Aug 2025, 10:00 AM IST
Rays RAY

Magic MAG

Upcoming – t20 – South Mackay
Mackay T20 Championship, 2025
02 Aug 2025, 01:30 PM IST
Chargers CHG

Wolves WOL

Upcoming – t20 – Namibia
Namibia T20, 2025
01 Aug 2025, 01:00 PM IST
Paratus Jets PAJ

NPL Bears NPB

Upcoming – t20 – Namibia
Namibia T20, 2025
01 Aug 2025, 05:30 PM IST
Eavion Eagles EAE

Pupkewitz Motors Wildcats PMW

Upcoming – t20 – Namibia
Namibia T20, 2025
02 Aug 2025, 01:00 PM IST
NPL Bears NPB

Pupkewitz Motors Wildcats PMW

Upcoming – t20 – Namibia
Namibia T20, 2025
02 Aug 2025, 05:30 PM IST
Paratus Jets PAJ

Eavion Eagles EAE

Live – t20 – Lauderhill
Pakistan tour of West Indies, T20, 2025
West Indies WI

Pakistan PAK

62/1

Upcoming – t20 – Lauderhill
Pakistan tour of West Indies, T20, 2025
03 Aug 2025, 05:30 AM IST
West Indies WI

Pakistan PAK

Upcoming – t20 – Trinidad and Tobago
USA Women U19 tour of West Indies, 2025
01 Aug 2025, 07:30 PM IST
West Indies Women U19 WIU19-W

United States Of America Women U19 USAU19-W

Upcoming – t20 – Birmingham
World Championship of Legends, 2025
02 Aug 2025, 09:00 PM IST
Pakistan Champions PNC

South Africa Champions SAC

While talking at a Cricket Australia sponsorship announcement in Sydney, Lyon revealed that he had a chat with James Anderson while playing for Lancashire in the County Cricket last year, where the English fast bowling legend said that Bashir has been picked to replicate what Lyon does for Australia. However, the Australian spinner feels Jack Leach is still England’s best Test spinner at the moment.

“I obviously played with Jimmy Anderson last year at Lancashire, and they basically said that they’re picking Bashir to do what I do. Jacob Bethell is playing this Test match [at The Oval against India], and he looks like he’ll take up the spin bowling from Liam Dawson. But in my eyes, Jack Leach is still their best spinner.”

It is a massive praise for Leach since Lyon is a knowledgeable spinner who understands the nuances of spin bowling and must have seen something special in the English player. He could have picked Liam Dawson, who has been a red-ball veteran with a fine record, but that Lyon preferred Leach suggests he has something special, which England’s team management fails to see.

Jack Leach remains unlucky not to play more Tests for England

Unfortunately, England have not been on the same boat as several other experts, who have rated Jack Leach’s craft highly. He made his Test debut in 2018 and did a fine job in the initial years to secure a place in the XI for a few years.

ALSO READ:

He has 142 wickets at an average of 34.07 in 67 innings, including five five-wicket and a ten-wicket haul. However, he has not featured for England since the Test series in Pakistan last year, where he was his team’s best bowler, even though England lost the rubber.

Leach snared 16 wickets at 31.43 runs apiece in six outings and was England’s leading wicket-taker. Still, the team dropped him to have more spinners with high release points, which they feel will be more effective in Australia later this year.

Even when Bashir was ruled out of the fourth Test against India, England recalled Liam Dawson after eight years and ignored Leach, who has taken two consecutive six-wicket hauls in the last two County fixtures. He might not be as young as Bashir, which can be a reason for his omission, but Leach has good form on his side, and England could have used it to their advantage in this Test series against India.

For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Telegram, and YouTube.

A cricket nerd.

Read more