Australia's Nathan Lyon names England’s best spinner

Australia's experienced off-spinner Nathan Lyon has backed Jack Leach as England’s best spinner, despite the recent rise of youngster Shoaib Bashir.

Speaking at a Cricket Australia event in Sydney on Thursday, Lyon said Leach’s experience and control still put him ahead of other options in England’s spin department.

“I played with Jimmy Anderson last year at Lancashire, and he told me they picked Bashir to do what I do. I took some pride in that—it’s nice to see respect for what I’ve done. But honestly, Bashir has been okay. In my eyes, Jack Leach is still their best spinner,” Lyon said.

Bashir has featured as England's main spinner in their last three Test series against New Zealand, Zimbabwe, and India, but he is currently out with a finger injury. His absence in the ongoing India series led to a brief return for Liam Dawson, who was dropped before the fifth Test at The Oval.

Lyon pointed out England’s reliance on part-timers in Bashir’s absence, highlighting Leach’s value to the team.

“Jacob Bethell looks like he’ll take on the spin duties this week, but Leach brings consistency and control. For me, he’s still their best,” he added.

Leach last played for England during the 2024 tour of Pakistan, where he took 16 wickets at an average of 31.43 across three Tests. In comparison, Bashir has taken only ten wickets at 54.10 in his recent Test matches.

Leach’s strong form has continued in domestic cricket. Playing for Somerset in the County Championship, he has taken 39 wickets at 24.76 in Division One, including two six-wicket hauls. His latest figures of 6 for 63 came against Durham on a challenging Taunton pitch that England legend Ian Botham described as “appalling.”