Stokes said he expected Bashir to pull through, but if he is unable to take the field England do not have a spin-bowling like-for-like replacement in the squad, having not called up reinforcements after Jack Leach went down injured and Rehan Ahmed returned home for personal reasons. They have only 14 players with them in India.
That would make the uncapped Surrey fast bowler Gus Atkinson favourite to claim a place in the XI, although there is batsman Dan Lawrence, who bowls handy off-spin, too. Stokes said England would cross that bridge when they came to it.
Dharamsala is a friendlier venue to seam than most in India, with all 36 wickets that fell in a recent Ranji Trophy match, played on the same pitch as the Test, falling to quick bowlers. The pitch was described as “bare” by Stokes, who added that it would still be a “bonus” if he bowled at all.
“Before we even got here we were probably thinking it was going to be a three seamer, one-spinner attack but then when we saw the wicket and then saw it again today I think going with two seamers and two spinners is probably the right call,” he said.
“We felt there would probably be a bit more grass on the wicket, just because of where we are, but overall I think the wicket looks an absolute belter. So playing two seamers and still having Bash and Tom (Hartley) gives us a good mixture when you’re a little bit unsure of what it will do as the Test goes on.