Rehan Ahmed says he is still coming to grips with the “crazy” 85 days in which he became England’s youngest male player in all three formats.
At 18 years and 128 days, the spin bowler made his Test debut and took a record-breaking five-wicket haul against Pakistan in December.
Three months later Ahmed earned his first one-day and T20 caps within a week of each other in March.
“It still doesn’t feel true,” he told BBC East Midlands Today.
Nottingham-born Ahmed added: “It’s been very emotional. To make all three debuts within 100 days or something like that was crazy. I never thought that would happen.”
On his return to club side Leicestershire, as they prepare for the upcoming County Championship season, the teenager took time to reflect on his stunning rise as an international cricketer during the English winter.
Ahmed said the first impressions he made in Pakistan, in which he became the youngest England player to take a five-wicket haul on Test debut, was a “dream come true”.
‘Nice to give back to mum and dad’
That bowling performance was the highlight he picked out on the pitch, but Ahmed quickly put the performance into perspective as he paid tribute to his parents and four siblings for helping get him there.
His father Naeem, a taxi driver in Nottingham, was in Karachi to watch his son take those incredible first scalps on the international stage.
“More than the cricket itself was my family being so proud of me,” Ahmed added. “It’s a lot of hard work that paid off for my mum and dad.
“For me to get wickets and do well was nice to give something back to them.
“My dad probably got two hours sleep a day for about six years, and same with my mum. While dad went to work, mum was the busiest woman alive.
“She went to sleep late and woke up so early – it’s a very busy household with five children – but she kept it going.”
Focus on County Championship return
Ahmed says he does not have “any set goal” with England and “will go with the flow” now that he has broken into the team. His only focus now is winning games for club and county.
The eight-wicket win against Pakistan in December was the first time Ahmed had celebrated a first-class victory, although it was only his fourth match.
Leicestershire finished bottom of the County Championship Division Two table without a win last season, losing nine of their 14 matches.
Leg-spinner Ahmed only made his first-class debut last season and played for the Foxes second XI as recently as July.
When asked what’s next, he added: “It’s red ball, Championship cricket to try to get my overs in, get runs in and win games.
“That’s my next goal, so hopefully I’ll do that.”
The mention of suddenly being seen as the “next spin king” of cricket gets a smile out of a player who is working to become an all-rounder, having hit a first-class century against Derbyshire last season.
“I’ve just started,” Ahmed said. “It’s a long shot and I have to prove myself.
“I’m a very basic spinner as of yet. I still have a lot of work to do.”
