England Reinstate Rehan Ahmed and Gus Atkinson for Third Test Against Pakistan
Ahmed, who last represented England in India, has been sidelined throughout the English summer. He made an impactful Test debut in Karachi in December 2022, taking five wickets in the third innings, helping England secure a historic 3-0 series victory— their first-ever clean sweep on Pakistani soil. To date, Ahmed boasts 18 wickets across four Tests, with an average of 34.50. He joins Jack Leach, currently the leading wicket-taker in the series with 14 scalps, and fellow spinner Shoaib Bashir.
England has opted for a strategic shift in their lineup for the third Test against Pakistan by bringing in three frontline spinners, including Rehan Ahmed. The changes see Ahmed and Gus Atkinson replace fast bowlers Brydon Carse and Matthew Potts, reflecting England's aim to adapt to the conditions in Rawalpindi.
Ahmed, who last represented England in India, has been sidelined throughout the English summer. He made an impactful Test debut in Karachi in December 2022, taking five wickets in the third innings, helping England secure a historic 3-0 series victory— their first-ever clean sweep on Pakistani soil. To date, Ahmed boasts 18 wickets across four Tests, with an average of 34.50. He joins Jack Leach, currently the leading wicket-taker in the series with 14 scalps, and fellow spinner Shoaib Bashir.
Gus Atkinson, returning to the squad, played a crucial role in England's dominant performance in the first Test, where he took four wickets for 136 runs. His ability to extract reverse swing was particularly effective, dismissing Shan Masood and Babar Azam during a critical phase on the fourth day, which left Pakistan struggling at 41 for 3.
While reverse swing may not be as prominent in Rawalpindi due to the conditions, Atkinson's pace, consistently in the high 140s kph, is expected to challenge the Pakistani batting lineup. Ben Stokes, England's captain, who recently returned to action after a nine-week hiatus, is the other pacer in the XI. He bowled 10 overs in the last Test, evenly split between Pakistan's two innings.
In preparation for the Test, Pakistan has taken significant steps to alter the traditionally seam-friendly Rawalpindi pitch to better resemble the conditions in Multan. The groundstaff have employed industrial fans and gas heaters to expedite the drying of the surface and have placed windbreakers along the 22 yards to retain heat, indicating that they anticipate a pitch more conducive to spin bowling.
England's XI:
Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (C), Jamie Smith, Gus Atkinson, Rehan Ahmed, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir.
