Rehan Ahmed has returned to the team for the first time since February. (PTI Photo)R Senthilkumar

PAK vs ENG: Rehan Ahmed returns as England name 3 spinners for Rawalpindi Test

Rehan Ahmed is set to make his comeback in the England playing XI for the third Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi. The team has opted for a spin-heavy lineup with three spinners in anticipation of dry pitch conditions.

by · India Today

In Short

  • Rehan Ahmed returns to England's Test XI for the first time since February
  • England makes two changes, including Gus Atkinson's return
  • Rawalpindi pitch is expected to be spin-friendly

Rehan Ahmed is making a comeback into the England playing XI for the first time since February as the visitors named 3 spinners for the 3rd Test in Rawalpindi. Rehan, who had made his debut during the 2022 tour of Pakistan, comes back into the team after having last played against India in the Rajkot Test earlier in the year.

England has made 2 changes to the team in total, including the addition of Rehan. Gus Atkinson has returned to the team after missing out the second Test in Multan, with Brydon Carse and Matthew Potts both missing out. Atkinson is the only designated pacer in the team with captain Ben Stokes expected to chip in a few overs.

"There are two changes from the second Test in Multan. Seamer Gus Atkinson returns and leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed is named for the first time since the Test match against India in Rajkot back in February. Durham pair Brydon Carse and Matthew Potts both miss out," read the statement from ECB.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) opted to use the same pitch for the second Test in Multan as they had for the first, and the decision paid off brilliantly for the home side. Spinners Noman Ali and Sajid Khan took full advantage of the dry surface, claiming 11 and 9 wickets respectively, to help Pakistan secure a memorable victory — their first Test win in over three years.

After finding success on the dry wicket, Pakistan is eager to replicate the conditions for the third and final Test of the series. To achieve this, curators were seen employing large fans to dry out the pitch and accelerate its exposure to the scorching heat, ensuring similar conditions for the upcoming match.

This could have been one of the reasons why Rehan has made a comeback to the team. The leg-spinner has played 4 Tests so far and has picked up 18 wickets.

England playing XI for 3rd Test

⁠Zak Crawley, ⁠Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, ⁠Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (C), Jamie Smith, Gus Atkinson, ⁠Rehan Ahmed, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir