Overview

• Australia’s premier off-spinner made the endorsement at a Cricket Australia event, praising Leach’s control and experience over younger rivals
• Shoaib Bashir, initially England’s primary spin option, has been ruled out after suffering a series-ending finger injury at Lord’s
• England have drafted 19-year-old Jacob Bethell into the final Test at The Oval to fill the spin role in Bashir’s absence
• Leach tops the Division One wicket charts with 39 wickets at an average of 24.76 this season, including two six-wicket hauls for Somerset
• The spin department faces renewed scrutiny ahead of the 2025–26 Ashes in Australia, where off-spinners traditionally play a pivotal role