Leach is the leading wicket-taker in England’s series in Pakistan with 14, but had only played two Tests in the 18 months leading up to the tour and was unable to complete either due to back and knee injuries. He had returned to full fitness after knee surgery when England picked their first Test of the summer in June, but they selected his Somerset team-mate Shoaib Bashir instead.
“I felt really happy and proud,” Leach recalled Monday, speaking at England’s hotel in Islamabad. “He just wanted to tell me how great I was, basically, the way he does it, and just acknowledge how I handled the situation. That gave me a chance to say some nice things to him about what he did.” had given me, probably going back to 2019 at Headingley.
“There’s a mutual respect there, so it was a nice conversation. It just reminded me that I was doing things the right way and gave me confidence that I still had something to offer the team and that it was a part, in a small way, “That gave me good motivation for the rest of the summer… a good reminder that there was still a chance to play.”
Leach admitted that he briefly feared his England career would be over when he initially learned of his omission. “You always do,” he said. “After a long time out with an injury, maybe I felt like that could be it… I really understood the situation. If you’re not able to stay in shape, then other people come in and do well, and Bash certainly did. “.
But he was happy with the level of communication from the England management throughout and received a similar call from Brendon McCullum the day after speaking to Stokes in July. “I was very happy with that and, in a way, not surprised by what I had experienced when I was there. [in the squad]” he said. “I’m very grateful for that and my relationship with those guys.”
After a slow start to the season in which he took nine wickets at 50.44 in his first four appearances for Somerset, Leach flourished at the end of the year with 36 at 15.86 in five matches. He said the secret was as simple as “remembering what I do and being happy with it,” rather than worrying too much about making minor technical changes.
“This summer really gave me a really good opportunity to get back to playing for Somerset and simplify everything – just do what I was good at and develop the confidence that that was good enough.”
“I felt like I needed to rediscover that childhood mentality of why you play,” Leach said. “You have that on the way up to playing for England, that mentality of having nothing to lose. Then it’s like, ‘I’m here now, I want to keep that.’ That’s exhausting, it’s stressful, it’s not fun… Forget which ones They are your main strengths.
“This summer really gave me a really good opportunity to play for Somerset again, which is what I always wanted to do as a kid, and just simplify everything; just do what I was good at and develop the confidence that really, that was good enough… I’ve discovered it again: just being myself and really enjoying it.”
Leach has outclassed Bashir in England’s first two Tests in Pakistan but said regaining his first-choice status is “not important” to him. “That’s not really in my thoughts,” he said. “I just want to continue to build on what I’ve done in the summer and what I’m doing here… For me, it’s all about the team. Maybe I’m at an age where that’s all that really matters to me.”
The pair have worked closely in Pakistan. “He’s done very well,” Leach said of Bashir. “He will be learning a lot, very quickly. He has quality. We have a good relationship, we have a lot of fun and we try to work together. I try to help as much as I can. I don’t want to overload him with things: I feel that he is learning by playing and that everything will turn out quite well. natural”.
“That’s probably my favorite spot: just the photos of the appeal, and then right after, of everyone celebrating,” Leach said. “It was a great game to be a part of.” England will be hoping for something similar this week as they look to win the series 2-1.
Matt Roller is assistant editor at Pak Gazette. @mroller98
