BUMBLE ON THE TEST: Ahmed's selection is highly significant

BUMBLE ON THE TEST: 18-year-old Rehan Ahmed is one of England’s most significant selections in a very long time… and what a jewel Harry Brook is – he could change the game just like Kevin Pietersen

  • Ben Stokes’ side looking to secure unprecedented whitewash victory in Pakistan
  • Harry Brook’s third century in series handed England invaluable first innings lead
  • He has potential to change the game like Kevin Pietersen did all those years ago
  • Captain and coach have played a blinder in selecting 18-year-old Rehan Ahmed 

England went in search of an unprecedented whitewash victory in Pakistan on a pulsating day two in Karachi. 

Already in an unassailable 2-0 lead, England battled to 354 all out, securing a lead of 50. Pakistan ended the day having almost halved the deficit, trailing by 29 runs with 10 wickets in hand. 

Harry Brook was the standout performer – again – for England as he secured his third century of the tour to haul his side from the mire following something of a mid-order collapse. 

Sportsmail’s David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd picks out his talking points from day two in Karachi. 

Rehan Ahmed’s selection – at 18-years-old – is one of the most significant in recent memory

Rehan Ahmed is one of England’s most significant selections in a very long time. An 18-year-old bowling leg-spin at the highest level is rare and priceless. Temperament is so important in a wrist-spinner and he undoubtedly has a good one. Ahmed spins it both ways and his biggest asset is clearly the googly. An absolute jewel for Ben Stokes and England….

And what a jewel Harry Brook is. This is a fantastic start to his Test career and he will be making teams around the world sit up and take notice. They will see he is ticking all the boxes. You look at temperament, character and appetite and his ability to play spin. They are all first-class. Opponents will be looking for any chink. The one unknown as yet is the fast short ball. You can bet Australia will be testing him out on that one next summer.

Harry Brook has shown his class as a mid-order batsman for England on their Pakistan tour

The thing with this lad is that he’s a force in every format. He has shown what he can do in white-ball cricket and now he is doing it in the Test game. Harry really does look like another Kevin Pietersen to me. KP changed the game and Brook has the potential to do the same.

It was striking how collected and calm Brook was on day two. He came in after Joe Root had got a first-baller and that could throw anybody into panic. Not a bit of it. Then he ran out the captain but was unflustered and went on to his third century of the series. Stokes showed unselfish leadership in carrying on running and then telling Brook to crack on and not worry about it. I wonder what Ben would have been really thinking?

There have been so many run outs in this series on both sides they must be paying homage to Inzamam-ul-Haq! He was the king of the run out. It’s the one mode of dismissal that infuriates a coach because he will tell a batter ‘they can get you out in all sorts of ways so don’t hand your wicket to them.’ Of course the most memorable of them all was when Geoff Boycott ran out local hero Derek Randall at Trent Bridge in 1977. Unbeatable.

It is a wonder what Ben Stokes was really thinking about Brook ran him out inexplicably 

Ben Foakes is having a terrific match on his return to the side. It’s a given he’s right up there among the best in the world behind the stumps and is arguably the best of the lot. But what about his batting too? He’s a little different in this side in that he’s an accumulator and is good at giving the strike to a senior partner. But he’s far more than just a handy batter.

I was a bit uneasy about Ollie Pope keeping wicket in Pakistan. Don’t get me wrong he did a decent job in the circumstances but Foakes has shown in this final Test the value of a fabulous keeper. And he’s a frontline batter in his own right. It makes me wonder what England will do when Jonny Bairstow is fit. And when Stuart Broad returns. They are both nailed on for places but how are they going to get them both back in? Nice problems to have. 

Ben Foakes has shown his class as England’s first choice wicket-keeper after not playing in the first two Tests




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