English cricket's new star Rehan Ahmed will snub the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) in order to focus on his red-ball development with Leicestershire.
The 18-year-old leg spinner made a Test debut to remember in England's third Test against Pakistan in Karachi, taking 5 for 48 in the second innings to help up set up victory for Ben Stokes and co. It made him the youngest player to take a five-wicket haul in his maiden Test.
Having already impressed in the white-ball format with the Southern Braves in The Hundred last summer, Ahmed had been tipped for a lucrative IPL contract. But instead, he has committed to starting the Division Two County Championship campaign with the Foxes in April.
PA have reported that Ahmed, who also took two wickets in Pakistan's first innings, was on a shortlist of names put forward for bidding for the T20 bonanza, with a base price of around £50,000. And England Test coach Brendan McCullum had already publicly backed Ahmed to play in the IPL.
“It would be great,” he told BBC Test Match Special. “It would be awesome if he did. I’ve been involved with the IPL a couple of times so sometimes it works out for guys and sometimes it doesn’t. Why not?
“Why not get an opportunity to go and play under different coaches and different captains and rub shoulders with different players and pick up those experiences? What 18-year-old kid anywhere else in world cricket is going to get those chances? I think we should encourage it.”
But Ahmed's apparent commitment to developing his game in the longer format will undoubtedly be seen as a boost to McCullum and co. The youngster has already received high praise for his display in Pakistan, which reduced his watching father to tears.
"I think we might have a superstar in the making," wrote Michael Vaughan. "5 on debut at 18 !! Tears for the old boy in the stand .. Dreams really do come true .. absolutely brilliant." And Pakistan legend Waqar Younis was also lavish in his appraisal.
"Rehan showed his class and shows that he belongs here," he said on BBC Test Match Special. "It's heartening to see a young man on his debut to take five wickets. A true match winner! He'll be a threat to the world."
