After the precocious leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed was selected to England’s team for the second Test against Australia at Lord’s next week as cover for Moeen Ali who was suffering a finger injury in the first match, Shane Warne’s prophetic forecast about the then 13-year-old Rehan Ahmed resurfaced. Moeen Ali was nursing an injury to his finger after the first match.
When Warne, an Australian icon who had one of the sharpest cricketing wits and revolutionized the technique of leg-spin bowling, first met Ahmed, he was really taken aback by how talented he was. Ahmed went on to win three Test matches for Australia.After seeing Ahmed bowl in the nets at Lord’s in 2017, Warne said Ahmed, “I will be keeping a close eye on you, and I think we will be commentating on you very soon.” Warne stated this after witnessing Ahmed bowl at Lord’s.
Ahmed has already made a name for himself on the international circuit. He became the youngest bowler in the history of men’s Test cricket to record a five-wicket haul on his debut while playing for England in the match against Pakistan that took place in Karachi in December 2022. This victory allowed England to claim victory over Pakistan.
If he is selected for the starting lineup, Ahmed will not only hold the record for the youngest English spinner, but he would also become the youngest Englishman to ever compete in the Ashes.