Young leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed thanked skipper Ben Stokes for being kind towards him, Shoaib Bashir, and other practicing Muslims in the England men’s team.
Rehan, who made a return to England’s Test team after more than a year, revealed a conversation with Stokes where he, along with Bashir, wanted a day off for Friday prayers.
“I remember a time in Abu Dhabi when there was a team day out on a Friday. We had Friday prayers. Me and Bash [Bashir] were there. I messaged Wayno [Wayne Bentley], the team manager, asking if we could miss this day because we needed to pray.
“Stokes messaged me straight away and said ‘Come to me whenever you want about this kind of stuff, I understand it fully’. And yes he’s stuck by his word,” Rehan told BBC Sport.
“Every time I pray he is so respectful, very understanding. Everyone is on this tour.”
‘They don’t care about how bad things can go’
Rehan also thanked Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum for maintaining a healthy team environment. The tweaker said they are fearless and advise spinners to bowl attacking lengths rather than trying to stall the run flow.
“That just shows how great the team environment is. Tommy and Bash, you’ve seen them come in and not be nervous and that’s credit to the team.
“They [Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum] just don’t care about how bad things can go. It’s always about what good you can get out of it.
“So if I bowl four bad balls and get a wicket, that’s better than bowling 16 good balls in a row,” Rehan added.
In 2 Tests against India, the English spin quartet of Tom Hartley, Rehan, Joe Root, and Shoaib Bashir has picked up 31 wickets. Jack Leach also picked up 2 wickets in the first Test at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad before sustaining an injury.
Hartley was the star for the Three Lions in the first Test after he accounted for a 7-wicket haul in the second innings. On the back of his spell, England won by 28 runs.
With the series locked at 1-1, the teams will next head to Rajkot for the third Test, starting February 15 at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot.
