It was an early checkout for England at the Novotel Hotel in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday morning, as they jetted off for a brief holiday in Abu Dhabi. England would be laying off but high on confidence rookie spinner Rehan Ahmed‘s confidence has already gone to sky high with 2 test matches in Indian conditions under his belt. Rehan Ahmed is tipped to be the next big thing in World Cricket.
The golf clubs will meet them there, while the cricket kit goes on the road to meet them in Rajkot next Monday. For now, thoughts on how to combat Jasprit Bumrah have been parked in favour of a new conundrum: how to balance a few rounds against quality time with those family members who have travelled to the UAE. England’s rookie spinner Rehan Ahmed, however, does not have that problem.
Rehan Ahmed’s cricketing career with England
The last 13 months have been a whirlwind: 16 England caps across all formats and a lucrative two-year central contract with the ECB. It began with a five-wicket haul on Test debut against Pakistan in Karachi, and now he’s holding his own as the wildest selection in a wildcard team away to India.
Rehan Ahmed’s eight wickets mean he is England’s second-highest wicket-taker in the series so far. Six of them came in the second Test in Visakhapatnam, where he operated in a spin trio alongside Tom Hartley and debutant Shoaib Bashir. Rehan Ahmed was both the youngest and most experienced on show.
The Pakistan born bowler , Rehan Ahmed with One century for Leicestershire, against Derbyshire at the end of the 2022 summer, and an 85 and 90 against Yorkshire and Glamorgan last season are his most notable first-class scores. Those who have closely monitored Rehan’s progress at the ECB wonder if he might end up being more of a batter as his career takes shape considering the support and faith Rehan Ahmed had in himself when sent in by England as night watchman as he made a stellar 29 before getting out to Ashwin.
For now, the bowler is doing his bit. And Rehan’s reflections on how the tour has gone so far are refreshingly mature. England coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes has shown immense faith in this spinner who now with match by match grown in confidence .
I feel like I bowl like Shane Warne- Rehan Ahmed
England’s 19-year-old leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed recently spoke about the unwavering support he has received from Test captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum.
Ahmed mentioned that while he does tend to bowl a loose delivery now and then, the backing from the team management makes him feel as if he is bowling like late Australian spinner Shane Warne.
Speaking to talk SPORT Cricket, Ahmed said:
“I bowl half-trackers probably every over, and I don’t feel like I do. I feel like I bowl like Shane Warne. So, it’s just the confidence I get given from the changing room and the backing I get makes it so much better.”
Rehan Ahmed further stated that Stokes has been a wonderful leader for him and the other two inexperienced spinners, Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir.
“Even Stokes, the way he looks after us (spin-bowling group) and the way he talks to us, just about trying to get a wicket every ball and always looking for the next ball, is great,” he added.
Expressing his desire to repay the faith shown by Stokes and the team management, Ahmed said:
“When people treat you so well, you want to do as well as you can for them. That’s the thing with his dressing room. They’ve treated me so well; they’ve looked after all of us.”
Rehan Ahmed is part of England’s squad for the ongoing five-match Test series against India. He did a decent job in the first two fixtures, bagging eight wickets across four innings.
Rehan Ahmed on conversation with coach Brendon McCullum.
Rehan Ahmed made his Test debut against Pakistan in Karachi in December 2022. Recalling his maiden call-up, he noted that Brendon McCullum informed him about his selection when he was playing in an England Lions game.
The youngster disclosed that he asked McCullum if he was serious about it, given that he had struggled to get going against Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley in the match.
Ahmed recalled:
“We were playing a Lions game at that time. Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley smacked me around. I got hit about 16 in five or six overs, something like that. So, I was like, ‘Oh, it’s not the best impressing.’. Brendon McCullum came up to me at lunch, saying you got to come with the first team. I was like, ‘Are you sure about that? I just got smacked’. But I was the happiest guy in the world. My dad was there as well, with his friends. So, I went to tell them as well.”
It is worth mentioning that Rehan Ahmed became England’s youngest-ever Test debutant, playing his first Test when he was just 18. He picked up a five-wicket haul in his maiden outing.
India completed a comprehensive 106-run victory over England in the second Test to level the series 1-1. The third contest will take place at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot from February 15 to 19. With experienced Jack Leach availability still a question mark, Rehan Ahmed is set to lead the English spin bowling department ahead of new ones Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir.