Quote Originally Posted by Notts78 View Post
I actually think England are looking after Rehan Ahmed. The kid has hardly played cricket and is still learning his craft. He may well have bowled well on a spin friendly deck in Pakistan. That would hardly have given confidence that he could bowl well against the best test team in the world, who boast 3 of the the top 10 batters in the world. All on wickets that have hardly turned.
In all probability he would have got bullied out of the attack and probably never to play for England again. I fully expect he will tour India, but this series is way too early to risk his career.
The reality is that we have coped and had it not rained in Manchester, would still be in with a chance of winning the Ashes, all without a proper front line spinner.
We’ll never know whether he would have done well or not.

The success story from this ashes for England is giving a young player who has let’s face has not started his career so well (in Crawley), a chance against the best in world and it has succeeded.

The failure was picking an average spin bowler two years retired who has injured himself twice (both injuries more likely due to not bowling a lot for years) bowled poorly and batted poorly.

When do we pick Rehan? Only in spin friendly conditions against players who are used to playing spin?

It’s no wonder we never have any decent spinners if they spend more time carrying drinks than bowling. I don’t buy this argument with “ruining” young spinners? How many has that actually happened to?