England’s inexperienced spin bowlers have notably outshone their seasoned Indian counterparts in the initial two Tests of the series, with young talent Rehan Ahmed attributing their success to the team environment and the inspiring leadership of Ben Stokes.
Despite the series being currently levelled at 1-1, it’s a remarkable twist that England has emerged as the superior force in spin bowling among the two sides. What’s even more astonishing is that the trio of Ahmed, Tom Hartley, and Shoaib Bashir has collectively claimed more wickets (33) than the formidable Indian spin quartet comprising stalwarts such as Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav, who have managed a total of 23 wickets between them.
“That just shows how great the team environment is,” Ahmed, 19, was quoted as saying on BBC.
“Tommy and Bash, you’ve seen them come in and not be nervous and that’s credit to the team.
“The environment and the leadership we have, it does make you kind of forget the players you are playing against – we just focus on what we need to do.”‘
Rehan Ahmed made his debut in the first Test of the series in Hyderabad and was part of the training camp ahead of the series in Abu Dhabi. The teenager stressed the positive environment in the dressing room as one of the main factors behind the side’s strong performances and also recalled a heartwarming gesture from his captain, Ben Stokes, during their UAE stint.
According to Ahmed, Stokes’ astute man-management skills extend beyond cricket. As a British Asian and devout Muslim in the high-energy atmosphere of Bazball, Ahmed disclosed that he faced no obstacles when it came to taking time off for Friday prayers, even if it meant sacrificing training sessions.
“I remember a time in Abu Dhabi where there was a team day out on a Friday,” said Ahmed.
“We had Friday prayers. Obviously me and Bash (Bashir) were there. I messaged Wayno (Wayne Bentley), the team manager, asking if we could miss this day because we needed to pray.
“Stokes messaged me straightaway and said ‘come to me whenever you want about this kind of stuff, I understand it fully’. And yes he’s stuck by his word.
“Every time I pray he is so respectful, very understanding. Everyone is on this tour,” recalled Ahmed.
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