Maidens are boring, I just try to hit the stumps
Ahmed on bowling without fear and wanting to bat like his boyhood hero Pietersen
Rehan ahmed buzzes with all the enthusiasm of a 19-year-old living his dream when he recalls the conversation that led to his first appearance as the ‘nighthawk’.
‘I don’t know where I got the confidence from,’ said ahmed of his batting cameo, which included hitting two fours in the last over of the third day of the second Test, in what used to be called the nightwatchman’s role.
‘as we were walking off (after bowling India out), I went straight to Stokesey and was like, “Let me get the pads on”. I just felt it was a good time to go in and I’ll take any opportunity I get. he let me do it as well, so that was cool.’
Time spent with ahmed is a reminder of the joy to be had as a teenager playing at the highest level with the total support of his captain. There appears to be no pressure on ahmed, just the encouragement to enjoy himself.
england have shown faith in the leg-spinner by playing him in the first two Tests in a country where wrist-spin traditionally struggles to make an impact.
‘It’s fair to say I’ve been told to attack,’ said the engaging ahmed after his six wickets in the second Test defeat. ‘I don’t like bowling maidens because I think they’re boring. I just try to hit the stumps as often as I can.
‘Playing for england is like no other team. They just don’t care about how badly things can go. It’s always about what good you can do. If I bowl four bad balls and get a wicket, that’s better than bowling 16 good balls in a row without one.’
The attacking attitude of this promising all-rounder has always been there. ‘Since I was young I have always wanted to be an attacking player,’ he said. ‘Kevin Pietersen was my favourite player and I always wanted to smack it with the bat and bowl my leg-spin as fast as I could.’
Such is ahmed’s obsession with cricket that he might find it hard adhering to england’s plan for plenty of rest and little training in abu dhabi. Particularly as he is not a fan of most of the players’ favourite pastime.
‘I’m not sure why anyone plays golf,’ he said with a grimace. ‘It’s a shocking sport. I hold a golf club like a cricket bat. Rob Key told me to try to smack a golf ball but I completely missed it.
‘Instead I’ve been watching this Turkish TV series ( Ertugrul). I started it in Pakistan last year and I still have three series left. It’s about the Ottoman empire and by the time I finish it I’ll have forgotten the first part, so I’ll start again. I just really enjoy it. I used to watch Prison Break so I was trying to find something else and this is perfect.’
an entertaining half-hour in the company of a cricketer with the world at his feet finishes on a serious note when it comes to the understanding within this team towards players of faith.
ahmed was the only player to miss england’s training session two days before the second Test because he was fasting and his confidence in not having to worry about following his muslim religion on tour comes from the attitude of Stokes.
‘my faith is much more important to me than cricket,’ added ahmed. ‘as long as I’m ticking over properly with that, I’m fine with whatever happens in cricket. It helps me stay calm on the field. mondays and Thursdays in my religion are optional fasting days and it was a light session anyway, so I thought I might as well stay back and fast. It didn’t affect my form. It just helps me and Stokesey is so good with that.
‘There was a time when we were practising in abu dhabi before the series when there was a team day out on a Friday. me and Bash (Shoaib Bashir) were there. I messaged Wayne, our manager, asking if we could miss it because we needed to pray.
‘Stokesey messaged me saying, “Come to me whenever you want to talk about this kind of stuff, I understand it fully”. and he’s stuck by his word. every time I pray he’s so respectful. everyone is on this tour.’