Pak vs Eng – Rehan Ahmed was recalled as England struggled for a raked pitch in the decider in Pakistan

England will launch a three-pronged spin attack on a Rawalpindi pitch that Harry Brook believes has been “raked” by the local fielders to bring Pakistan's spinners into play. Rehan Ahmed has been recalled and will play alongside Shoaib Bashir and Jack Leach. Gus Atkinson also comes into a team missing both Brydon Carse and Matthew Potts.

Rehan played three Tests in India earlier this year but has not appeared for England in any format since February. But England believe they will need him as a third frontline option this week as Pakistan go to extreme lengths to dry out the pitch in Rawalpindi after their 152-run win on a recycled strip in Multan.

“They took out the rakes, the fans and the heaters on the field,” Brook said. “Everyone looks at the wicket and says something different… Hopefully it’s like any other Pakistan pitch. It's good to keep hitting for the first few days and then hopefully we can get some momentum at the back.” End of game.”

“I think the conditions will be a little different,” Brook said. “Last time we played here on an extremely flat pitch. It was great to hit on and we got a good knot rate. This game will probably be a little different. It could turn sooner: who knows? It could be a… Good pitch to start with and we'll get to a flyer.”

The lush ground in Rawalpindi may have influenced England's selection, with the reverse swing unlikely to be a significant factor this week. In Multan, the strips on both sides of the Test pitch were cut short and were dry and abrasive in the second Test, allowing the English seamers to turn over the old ball. This week there are only three strips cut across the course: the test field and two practice fields.

Brook scored 9 and 16 against Pakistan's spinners in the second Test and predicted Sajid Khan and Noman Ali will play a “big role” in Rawalpindi. “I've been talking to some of the guys about game plans and how we're going to go about it,” he said. “Hopefully it pays off and I play a big role in the game.”

Two years ago, Rehan made his international debut as an 18-year-old in Pakistan, scoring 5 for 48 in the second innings in Karachi, setting up England's eight-wicket victory that secured a 3-0 victory. His progress since then has not been linear and he was expensive in India earlier this year, taking 11 wickets at 44.00 in three appearances and conceding more than four runs per over.

That summer, Rehan was surpassed in the county championship by his young brother Farhan, and his fortunes in white-ball cricket plummeted: after two expensive appearances, he was dropped by Southern Brave at the start of the Hundred and then dropped out of the English T20I out and ODI squad against Australia in September.

But England has long been an admirer: Rehan was a famous net bowler at the age of 11 and featured in the national team throughout his professional career, starting with the Under-19s. He is entering the second year of his two-year central contract and has also worked on his batting this summer with four Championship fifties and will strengthen England's lower ranking of No.9.

Carse and Potts are both officially rested, with Atkinson returning after taking match figures of 4 for 145 in England's innings victory in the first Test. Carse was England's standout bowler of the tour, taking nine wickets at 24.33 in his first two appearances, but has bowled 67 overs in the series and played two consecutive Tests.

England: 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Ben Stokes (captain), 7 Jamie Smith (week), 8 Gus Atkinson, 9 Rehan Ahmed, 10 Jack Leach, 11 Shoaib Bashir.

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