The cricket world is enjoying a thrilling three-match Test series between England and Pakistan. After winning the first Test match, England faced a massive defeat in the second Test match. Even though England suffered a defeat, English spinner Jack Leach delivered some impressive performance. But he was dropped from the team in the summer. After the incredible performance, Leach thinks that worked out great for him.
Injury Setback and Captain’s Assurance:
The last summer was not great for Jack Leach. He sustained a major back injury which kept him grounded for a little long. As he was injured, England‘s side picked another young spinner, Shoaib Bashir. Leach missed the entire summer. On the other way, Shoaib Bashie showcased his excellence on the big stage with an impressive 4-wicket haul against West Indies.
But Jack Leach revealed that Stokes reached out to Leach, assuring him that Bashir’s success hadn’t overshadowed him or made him less important. Leach said, “I felt really happy and proud. He just wanted to tell me how great I was, basically, in the way that he does, and just recognise how I’ve dealt with the situation. That gave me a chance to say some nice things back to him about what he’d given me, probably going back to 2019 at Headingley.”
Later he added, “There’s just a mutual respect there, so it was a nice conversation to have for sure. It just reminded me that I was going about things in the right way, and gave me confidence I still had something to offer the team and I was a part of it, in a small way. That gave me good motivation for the remainder of the summer… a nice reminder that there was still a chance to play.”
Fear About His Future:
Post-injury, he was snubbed from the England squad. Recently, he revealed that, he was scared of his future in the England team. While talking about this, he said, “You always do. After a long time out with injury, I maybe felt that might be it… I really understood the situation. If you’re not able to stay fit, then other people come in and do well, and Bash certainly did that.”
Later he thanked the clear communication with the team management. While reflecting on that, he said, “I was really happy with that – and in a way, not surprised, because of what I’d experienced when I was there [in the squad]. I’m very thankful for that, and my relationship with those guys.”
A Thrilling Comeback:
After the injury, Leach’s comeback witnessed a slow start. But he turned the table later that year. In the last five matches for Somerset, he secured 36 wickets with an economy rate of 15.86. That was a remarkable comeback by the ace English spinner. While reflecting on that, Leach said, “I just felt like I needed to rediscover that kid-like mentality of why you play the game. You have that on the journey up to playing for England, that nothing-to-lose mentality. Then it’s like, ‘I’m here now, I want to keep that’. That’s tiring, it’s stressful, it’s not enjoyable… You forget what your main strengths are.”
Later he added, “This summer actually provided a really good opportunity to go back to play for Somerset – which is what I always wanted to do as a young boy – and to just simplify everything; just do what I was good at, and build the confidence that actually, that was good enough… I’ve discovered that again: just being myself, and actually really enjoying that.”
Leach’s Remarkable Performance Against Pakistan:
The English side faced a heartbreaking defeat of 152 runs. But While bowling in the first innings, English spinner Jack Leach shined with the ball. He secured 4 crucial wickets while conceding 114 runs. He continued his exceptional form in the second innings. He conceded 67 runs and secured 3 crucial wickets. Even in the first Test, he secured 7 wickets. He secured 14 wickets in two Test matches of the series.
While reflecting on this performance, Leach said, “That’s not really in my thoughts. I just want to keep building on what I’ve done in the summer and what I’m doing out here… For me, it’s all about the team. Maybe I’m at an age where that’s all that really matters to me.”
Praising Bashir and Upcoming Goal:
In the first Test match against England, Shoaib Bashir secured 1 wicket. But as the second Test match unfolded, the young English spinner was seen in a better shape. After securing 1 wicket in the first innings, Bashir secured an impressive 4-wicket haul just by conceding 66 runs. After that, Leach praised the youngster.
While praising him, he said, “He’s just done so well. He’ll just be learning so much, so quickly. He’s quality. We have a good relationship, good fun, and try to work together. I try to help where I can. I don’t want to overload him with stuff: I feel like he’s just learning through playing, and it’s all going to come quite naturally.”
The third Test match of the series is all set to unfold in Rawalpindi. As the series is now leveled up, the Rawalpindi Test will decide the winner of the thrilling series. In their last Pakistan tour, England showcased excellence. But Jack Leach’s dismissal of Shoaib Bashir was one of the iconic memories of the exciting win.
While talking about this, Leach said, “ That’s probably my favourite wicket: just the pictures of the appeal, and then just after of everyone celebrating. It was just such a good game to be part of.”
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