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The tourists have kept their options open for the first Ashes Test by naming spin bowler the young spinner in a 12-man squad together with five pace bowlers

Mark Wood has recovered and is expected to participate against Australia in Perth Stadium on Friday, with the final decision probably coming down to spinner Bashir and fast bowler Brydon Carse

Pitch Conditions

Should England choose an fast bowling unit - four dedicated bowlers combined with all-rounder Ben Stokes - it would arguably be the fastest group of bowlers they have fielded in an Ashes Test in Australia

On Wednesday local groundsman the curator stated to anticipate "fast and bouncy conditions" from the wicket at Perth Stadium, and it appears probable the tourists will adhere to a traditional approach of an pace-only strategy

Yet the visitors have also observed a dryness to the surface, bringing Bashir into the running

Spinning Options

In the short history of Perth Stadium - five prior matches have been hosted here - Australian spin bowler the experienced spinner is the leading wicket-taker with twenty-nine

The English management have supported Bashir, 22, as their main slow bowler for over twelve months and in recent months he became the most youthful English bowler to attain fifty wickets in Test matches

However he has not played a official match following taking the last dismissal in a exciting triumph over the Indian team in the final Test at Lord's in July

Recent Challenges

Bashir has been recovering from a finger injury and had challenges in the single preparation match against the development squad, returning match figures of 2-151 from twenty-four overs

This creates the possibility of the spinner competing in an Test against Australia without being contracted with a county

His deal at the domestic team concluded at the end of the home summer

Expected Selection

However, an England team containing Wood, Archer, Gus Atkinson, skipper Stokes and Carse - each of whom are able to achieve 90 miles per hour - remains the most likely outcome

The first Test begins at 2:20 AM GMT on Friday, with instant commentary, Test Match Special commentary and in-play highlights provided

England Squad

Selected players for first Ashes Test: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Brook, Stokes (leader), Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Wood, Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir

Past Experience

Even though a number of successful Ashes campaigns at domestically and internationally have been constructed around fast bowling, they have never fielded as multiple quick bowlers in the same team

The team that triumphed at domestically in the celebrated contest of 2005 featured Steve Harmison, Simon Jones and Andrew Flintoff

Raymond Illingworth's successful touring team to the host nation in that era had Bob Willis, Peter Lever and John Snow, and the England team that triumphed in 1954-55 contained Brian Statham and Tyson

Present Circumstances

On this occasion - potentially the most exciting Test series in recent years - the visitors are looking to reverse an poor history - they have not won a five-day game in Australia since that year

Only five members of the 16-man squad have played a Test match in the host nation, but Atkinson states that could help the visitors

"This might be an advantage," he explained to media outlets

"There are a lot of players who have stated they have had challenging periods in this country

"In our case, we are a quite calm, very positive squad

"No negative experiences

"It's very exciting

"Everyone considers it a great possibility to achieve something remarkable"

Australian Preparations

The host team's net session on Wednesday was briefly delayed by the risk of storms

The home side are expected to hand a first cap to batsman Jack Weatherald, with uncapped fast bowler Brendan Doggett also coming in following injuries to skipper Cummins and teammate Josh Hazlewood