It's The Ashes (again)

[Pragmatist]

This is the issue, isn't it? There's not exactly a choice and whoever I name now you're going to pick apart and laugh, probably rightly so. 

We could've done worse than Rehan Ahmed.

Totally disagree.  Rehan is now where near ready and is bowling with no confidence at all this season in red ball cricket. Picking him in the Ashes could well destroy him.

I haven't followed him in the CC but I was impressed with him when we played in Pakistan. 

The spin options are a mess, aren't they?

He did brilliantly in Pakistan but has tailed off badly in English conditions so far this summer. 

Yes there are very few spin options. Very concerning.

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We might need a 'spin by committee' approach this summer, pick a different spinner for each game to see what we have. If any of them shine we can stick with them, but they won't get completely demoralised either if they aren't quite ready at the moment

Absurd idea.  In the cauldron of the Ashes?  We don’t need to expose them like a lamb to the slaughter.  The system prevents them being “ready”.  They can’t learn their trade when 80% of the championship is played in spring and autumn.

Reminds me Ashton Agar and how we dealt with him in 2013, was it?

Yep - although he nearly scored a ton!

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Brilliant tactics from Stokes in that last period before lunch. It’s never dull under his captaincy!