England recall leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed and fast bowler Gus Atkinson for deciding Test against Pakistan on "raked" pitch in Rawalpindi; seamers Matthew Potts and Brydon Carse drop out - watch live on Sky Sports Cricket from 5.30am Thursday (6am first ball)
Tuesday 22 October 2024 23:39, UK
England have recalled Rehan Ahmed as part of a three-pronged spin attack for the series-deciding third Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi.
Durham fast bowlers Brydon Carse and Matthew Potts miss out, with Rehan to join fellow spinners Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir in the XI.
Ahmed last featured for England in a Test series during their tour of India in February, but the 20-year-old has a good track record in the subcontinent, taking a five-for on debut in Pakistan in 2022.
Gus Atkinson returns as the sole specialist seamer, backed up by captain and all-rounder Ben Stokes.
England convincingly beat Pakistan by an innings and 47 runs in the first Test before the hosts levelled the series in the second, winning by 152 runs, with both matches taking place in Multan.
Speaking on Ahmed's inclusion for the Rawalpindi Test, Stokes said: "Adding Rehan's free spirit and desperation to change the game every time he's got the ball in his hand is a massive bonus for us this week. Leg-spinners have an amazing ability to break a game open.
"Leachy and Bash have been fantastic in these first two Tests but someone there to be able to break things open when you feel like it might be coming a little bit too easy at one end [is valuable]. You'd rather have that and not need it than need it and not have it."
He's had two amazing Tests, but it's hard toil playing two Tests back to back, especially in the role he's been used. He's got a little bit of a sore heel but that wasn't the deciding factor. The reason he's not playing is more the make-up of the team.
The Multan wicket was stubbornly flat before industrial fans were used to accelerate the deterioration of the pitch, aiding the threat of spin-bowling for the second game in the series.
Consequently, Pakistan named a spin-heavy attack and managed to make a comeback with spin duo Noman Ali and Sajid Khan accounting for all 20 wickets.
Ahead of the Rawalpindi Test a widely-circulated picture showed three gas-powered heaters at either end of the wicket, aided by oversized fans to blow the air across the surface and windbreaks positioned at either side to stop the hot air escaping.
Stokes said: "It's pretty obvious there's been a few rakes put across it. It will be interesting to see how it goes. I've never been a groundsman, but you'd think a rake would assist the spin.
You look down it and we can have a pretty good guess which ends the Pakistan spinners will operate from. There's not too much grass to hold everything together, (with) a couple of days' traffic on there, foot holes and stuff like that.
"But it's good, isn't it?"
England batter Harry Brook added: "It's interesting and it's unique. Hopefully, it'll be a nice pitch for the first couple of days and then we're expecting it to turn at the back end of the game.
"I'd say it will be a good pitch for the first day, two days maybe, then it will start spinning. God knows, to be honest. Everyone goes to look at the wicket and everyone says something different.
"Their spinners are obviously going to play a massive part this week. I've spoken to a few lads about game-plans and how we'll go about it. Hopefully that pays off and I can play a big part in the game too."
Pakistan have not won their last four Tests in Rawalpindi, including famously losing to England in the opening Test of their 2022 tour, a match in which Stokes' side blasted 506 runs on the opening day.
Watch the third and final Test between Pakistan and England live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 5.30am on Thursday, ahead of the first ball at 6am.
