PAK vs ENG 2022: Brendon McCullum, Ben Stokes rate 18-year-old Rehan Ahmed as a 'rare talent'

England Test captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum have rated teenager Rehan Ahmed as a special talent. The 18-year-old Rehan played just three first-class matches for Leicestershire - picking up nine wickets and scoring 195 runs. The young all-rounder is likely to make his debut for England in the Test series, starting December 1st in Rawalpindi.

Speaking to the press ahead of the first Test, coach Brendon McCullum spoke at length onthe youngster, heaping praises. The former New Zealand skipper, who was branded for playing aggressive and ruthless cricket, said Rehan has the confidence to do well and has the ability to overcome challenges on this tour. McCullum further said this opportunity (Test series against Pakistan) is massive for the young gun to show everyone what he is capable of.

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"What a fabulous kind of opportunity for someone like him," McCullum told the Daily Telegraph. "He seems really confident in himself. He's 18 and on an England tour to Pakistan so there's some real opportunities there and there'll be some challenges along the way, but it's our job to figure this out. We know that he's not the finished product. He's a long way away from that, but he's got something which is pretty kind of special."

Earlier, skipper Ben Stokesalso rated all-rounder Rehan as a rare talent while speaking to Sky Sports. Ben said with the talent Rehan possesat this young age, he could achieve a lot more than others.

"We see him as one of those very rare talents, to have someone at such a young age be so noticeable with the way he bowls and the way he bats," Ben Stokes told Sky Sports.

A match-winner himself Stokes is also aware that Rehan is very young and has a whole cricketing career in front of him. He added saying the management will nurture him going ahead.

"We're fully aware he's not the finished project and I think it's important for his inclusion not to be looked into too much. We see this as an opportunity to get someone as talented as Rehan into the squad and nurture him," he added. "Who knows where he could be in two or three years' time? "I'm excited to have him in the squad, but if we feel we want to chuck him a Test cap, we're in the position to do that."

The first of three-match Test series will begin on December 1st in Rawalpindi.