Rehan Ahmed added to England Ashes squad as cowl for Moeen Ali
Rehan Ahmed, the 18-year-old Leicestershire legspinner who claimed a memorable five-wicket haul on his Test debut in Karachi final yr, has been added to England’s Test squad as cowl for Moeen Ali, whose efficiency at Edgbaston was hampered by a blistered spinning finger.
Rehan’s call-up comes after restricted success for Leicestershire on this yr’s County Championship – he is to this point claimed simply six wickets at 67.66 in ten outings. However, he has made his presence felt for his county with the bat as a substitute, with 423 runs at 38.45, together with 4 half-centuries and a better of 90 in opposition to Glamorgan.
Even if he doesn’t play at Lord’s, Rehan’s re-introduction to the squad may be taken as additional proof that England haven’t any intention of backing down from their fast-paced method to this Ashes collection – some extent that Joe Root underlined this week when he known as for England followers to “strap in” for the second Test.
In his solitary Test look, in opposition to Pakistan in December, Rehan’s second-innings figures of 5 for 48 have been instrumental in establishing England’s 3-0 collection sweep, and he was subsequently despatched in to bat at No.3 on the penultimate night because the so-called “Nighthawk”, with licence to hasten England’s rush in direction of an eventual eight-wicket win.
He will hyperlink up with the squad in London this weekend, forward of the second Test which begins at Lord’s on June 28.
Moeen’s personal return to Test cricket, after an absence of 21 months, had come within the wake of a again stress fracture sustained by England’s first-choice spinner, Jack Leach, which has dominated him out for your complete summer time.
His figures of three for 204 didn’t make for particularly fairly studying throughout his comeback, and he was visibly hampered by a sore on his proper index finger, which earned him a 25 p.c match-fee high quality after he was punished for utilizing a drying agent mid-match.
However, talking after the sport, McCullum indicated that England would do every thing they will to get him proper for the remainder of the collection, after praising his contribution – which included the numerous wicket of Travis Head, Australia’s most attacking middle-order batter, in each innings.
“I’m pretty confident that we can get on top of Moeen’s finger,” McCullum stated. “That will give us an opportunity to select him in the next game and, if he’s available, he will be selected. I thought Moeen did a great job.”
Other options might have included Liam Dawson, Hampshire’s spinning allrounder, who has been in good kind for Hampshire within the County Championship this season, and has had prior expertise of coming into high-profile squads at quick discover, following his call-up for the 2019 World Cup squad.
Will Jacks, the Surrey allrounder who claimed six wickets in his debut Test innings in Rawalpindi in December was one other potential decide – he too presents loads with the bat, and cracked 5 sixes in an over for Surrey in opposition to Middlesex en path to 96 from 45 balls within the T20 Blast on Thursday night time.
However, it’s understood Root’s efficiency on the ultimate day of the primary Test – bowling 13 overs straight as much as the second new ball, dismissing Alex Carey within the course of – meant the selectors felt they have been lined for off-spin, preferring an choice who turns it the opposite method.
Despite his lack of worldwide expertise, Rehan isn’t any stranger to the England set-up, having additionally made his T20 and ODI debuts on the tour of Bangladesh in March this yr. He was additionally a key member of the Under-19 squad that reached the World Cup final against India in Antigua final yr.
His precocity first got here to prominence in July 2016 when, as an 11-year-old, he was known as all the way down to Lord’s to help England’s preparations for dealing with Pakistan’s Yasir Shah in that yr’s first Test, and even dismissed Ben Stokes and Alastair Cook throughout his stint.
When he returned for the next yr’s Test in opposition to South Africa, his abilities even impressed the late Shane Warne, who predicted on the time that he could be “playing first-class cricket at the age of 15”.
Andrew Miller is UK editor of ESPNcricinfo. @miller_cricket