England have decided that Pakistan’s innovative attempts to produce a turning pitch in Rawalpindi are likely to prove successful and have picked an extra spinner for the final and deciding Test of the series, with Rehan Ahmed coming into the side for the first time since February.
Rehan’s legspin will give England an alternative to the offspin of Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir at the expense of seam bowling depth: Brydon Carse and Matt Potts both drop out of the side leaving the returning Gus Atkinson as the only specialist pace bowler. The selection suggests that Ben Stokes feels ready to contribute more than the five overs in each innings that he managed on his return from injury in the second Test in Multan.
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As well as an array of part-time spinners Pakistan picked two specialist offspinners and a legspinner for that game; Sajid Khan and Noman Ali bowled 87.5 overs and took all 20 wickets between them while Zahid Mahmood, the legspinner, had a minimal impact and bowled only six overs, and none at all in England’s second innings. They are yet to announce their team for the third Test.
In a bid to produce a turning pitch at a ground famed for its flat, batter-friendly surfaces the ground staff have utilised patio heaters, windbreaks and giant fans to dry out the wicket and accelerate the speed at which cracks appear and widen during the game. As the teams trained on Tuesday only the fans were in place, but they were not in use. Asked about the pitch, Harry Brook said: “I think they’ve had the rakes out, and the fans and heaters on the pitch, so 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.”
England team to play Pakistan in the third Test Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Gus Atkinson, Rehan Ahmed, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir.
