The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed that Rehan Ahmed, the promising young leg-spinner for England, is returning home from the ongoing five-Test series against India due to personal reasons. The 19-year-old talent, who has claimed 11 wickets at an average of 44 in the first three matches, including 6 wickets the second Test at Visakhapatnam, will be making an immediate return home.
"Rehan Ahmed will return home for personal reasons with immediate effect from England Men's Test tour of India. He will not be returning to India," stated the ECB, marking an early end to Ahmed's campaign in the series.
England have decided against calling up a replacement for Ahmed for the remainder of the series. In light of Ahmed's departure, England announced the inclusion of Shoaib Bashir in the playing XI for the fourth Test, aiming to fill the void left by Ahmed's absence.
With only one match left in the series, England's bowling lineup still includes Tom Hartley, a left-arm spinner who leads the squad's wicket tally with 16 wickets on this tour.
Ahmed's journey in the series was not without its challenges. Earlier in the tour, he encountered visa complications upon his return from a mid-series break in the UAE. Due to a single-entry visa that expired following his departure, Ahmed faced difficulties at Rajkot Airport upon his return. However, the situation was swiftly resolved thanks to efforts by the Indian government and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Currently, India holds a 2-1 lead in the five-Test series. England started strong with a 28-run victory in the opening match but faced setbacks in the subsequent games, losing by margins of 106 and 434 runs.