England elevate Shahzad into Test reckoning

The Yorkshire all-rounder was one of two uncapped players named in the squads to tour the United Arab Emirates and Bangladesh next month.

Jaded Andrew Strauss is to sit out the tour with 25-year-old Alastair Cook promoted to Test captain in his stead. Jimmy Anderson is also afforded a break following England's 1-1 Test series draw in South Africa.

But it is the inclusion of 24-year-old Shahzad which proved the biggest shock – and to the Huddersfield-born player more than anyone else.

Having only established himself in Yorkshire's first-class team last year, the pace bowler earned a spot on the England Performance squad which toured South Africa before Christmas.

He was fully expecting to be part of the Lions team to be captained by fellow Yorkshire player Andrew Gale for next month's tour to play Pakistan in the UAE.

But the shadow squad was announced on January 10 without Shahzad.

"I was disappointed to say the least that I wasn't selected in the Lions squad," said Shahzad, who in 2004 became the first Yorkshire-born Asian player to represent the county.

"I got a few phone calls saying how come I hadn't been involved or added to the squad, but I had no answer to them.

"I gave Dave Parsons (performance director) a ring and he said 'look, you just need to hang fire for a little while – I can't tell you the information. I can't give you the reason why, but Geoff Miller (national selector) will give you a ring soon and you'll know about it then'.

"I just let it lie then. But I'd put a lot of effort into the last tour with them and I was hoping to be involved alongside my team-mates.

"I just thought I've got to get my head down for Yorkshire, there's always next year, and who knows, halfway through the season I might have worked my way back into the Lions squad again.

"And then I got the call to say I was in the main squad – I was overjoyed.

"I was shocked and just happy to be involved and get a bit of recognition."

Miller called Shahzad last Friday to temper the young man's frustration at his omission from the Lions with the news of his promotion to the Test squad.

Kent off-spinner James Tredwell is the other surprise inclusion in both squads to contest two Tests and three ODIs in Bangladesh.

Paul Collingwood will retain the Twenty20 captaincy in Dubai and Abu Dhabi when England meet Pakistan, with Shahzad's Yorkshire team-mate Tim Bresnan also named in the one-day squad.

Miller said: "We are delighted to welcome Ajmal Shahzad to both squads for the first time.

"He enjoyed an excellent season with Yorkshire last year, made a strong impression while he was in South Africa with the EPP squad, and is a bowler with the potential to make a real impact in international cricket."

Shahzad has taken 53 wickets in 22 first-class matches at 35.03 for Yorkshire and was named the players' player of the year for 2009.

He signed a three-year contract to stay at Headingley Carnegie at the end of last season as the club placed their faith in the rising star ahead of Matthew Hoggard, the former England pace bowler who was shown the door by Yorkshire.

In a year that ends with an Ashes defence in Australia, Shahzad could be coming into the reckoning at the perfect time, particularly as England look for an all-rounder to replace their departed talisman Andrew Flintoff.

"The Ashes are a long way off at the moment. I just want to put a cog in the works for the selectors and put my name forward," said Shahzad.

"Everybody keeps saying to me that I can fill 'Freddie' Flintoff's boots. I don't know what to say about that. I can fill Flintoff's role in the team as an all-rounder but I can only do what I can do.

"I will play the way I want to play and give England Ajmal Shahzad, not another 'Freddie' Flintoff."

Commenting on replacing the rested Strauss as tour captain, Cook said: "I am probably not a gambling captain – you have to be true to your nature and I think things through before making decisions.

"I will be conservative at times, or more aggressive depending on the situation."

Strauss said his omission was a pre-emptive strike.

"I am feeling pretty jaded," he said. "It's been a long year, and I am very conscious of the 18 months of cricket that starts in May with the Ashes tour and the World Cup.

"My view – which is shared by the management – is that, if you accept there is a need to rest players at times, then a captain should be allowed to have that rest as well.

"The notion that captains continue until they are mentally and physically exhausted doesn't seem in the best interests of the side.

"I think I will be as refreshed as I possibly can be for the summer and the Ashes after that, and the World Cup as well."

Ajmal Shahzad Factfile

Born: July 27 1985,

Huddersfield.

Height: 6ft 0ins.

Batting: Right-hand.

Bowling: Right-arm medium-fast.

Education: Woodhouse Grove School, Bradford Univ.

First-class debut: Yorkshire v Middlesex, Scarborough, August 30, 2006.

Twenty20 debut: Essex v Yorkshire, Chelmsford, July 24, 2006.

First-class batting: Matches 22, Inns 27, Not Outs 9, Runs 553, Highest 88, Ave 30.72.

First-class bowling: Matches 22, Balls 3309, Runs 1857, Wkts 53, Best Inns 4-22, Best match 6-135.