England player Rehan Ahmed recalled an incident in which England Test captain Ben Stokes prioritized his Friday prayers over a team day in Abu Dhabi. Rehan Ahmed also said that Ben Stokes is very respectful whenever he prays.
Rehan Ahmed is also part of the ongoing IND vs ENG test series. Notably, he was picked as a spinner in the series despite having only 1 Test experience. Ben Stokes also backed uncapped spinners Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir in the IND vs ENG Test series.
Ahmed, the right-arm bowler, has put up a decent show so far in two games. He accounts for 8 wickets in 2 Tests at an average of 36.37. He has added 70 runs with the bat with a maximum of 28 in 1 innings.
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Rehan Ahmed recalls incident when Ben Stokes prioritized his Friday prayers
During a talk on the BBC, batting all-rounder Rehan Ahmed praised the leadership of Ben Stokes. Ahmed recalled an incident in which Stokes prioritized his Friday prayers over a team day in Abu Dhabi.
“I remember one time in Abu Dhabi where there was a party day with the team on a Friday. We had Friday prayers. Obviously Bash (Shoaib Bashir) and I were there. “I sent a message to Wayno (Wayne Bentley), the team manager, asking if we could miss this day because we needed to pray,” Ahmed said.
“(Ben) Stokes messaged me straight away and said ‘come see me whenever you want this kind of thing, I completely understand.’ And yes, he keeps his word. Every time I pray, he is very respectful and very understanding. “Everyone is on this tour,” the 19-year-old added.
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Stokes and McCullum never care how bad things can go
Rehan Ahmed also praised Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum for the atmosphere they have created in England Cricket. He said the environment has helped the young players gain confidence while bowling.
“Tommy and Bash (Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir), you’ve seen them come in and not be nervous and that’s a credit to the team. The environment and leadership we have makes you forget about the players you play against; We just focus on what we have to do,” he said.
The bowling all-rounder also added that Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum never care how bad things can go.
“They (Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum) just don’t care how bad things can go. It’s always about the good you can get out of it. So if I bowl four bad balls and get a wicket, that is better than bowling 16 good balls in a row,” added Rehan Ahmed.
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Meanwhile, Ben Stokes is all set to lead England in the third Test against India. He led the team to victory in the initial test. However, Team India bounced back with a win in the second Test. The third IND vs ENG Test begins on February 15 in Rajkot.