Thomas Rew (left) made his Somerset debut in white-ball cricket last summer aged 17. His brother, James (right), is a regular across formats
Which players could England turn to for 2027 Ashes?
The Rews are not the only siblings anticipated to have promising careers. Rehan Ahmed made history as the youngest individual to play Test cricket for England when he appeared in Pakistan in 2022. His brother Farhan, who is 17 years old and specializes in off-spin rather than leg-spin like Rehan, became the youngest bowler to claim a five-wicket haul in first-class cricket in Britain, achieving this with seven wickets for Nottinghamshire against Surrey in 2024. Rehan participated in this winter’s Lions expedition. Several believed he should have been included in the full Test squad following an impressive season with Leicestershire. Farhan joined the Lions this year and will be part of the Under-19 World Cup team. After Shoaib Bashir’s stint as a drinks carrier, England seems to be back at the starting point in their quest for a primary spinner. With five centuries and 23 wickets in the 2025 County Championship Division Two, Rehan’s path might lead him toward becoming an all-rounder. Lancashire’s left-arm spinner Tom Hartley, who has not added to his five Test appearances since the 2024 tour of India, was also part of the Lions in Australia. We mustn’t overlook Somerset’s Jack Leach, who was the top wicket-taker among spinners in the County Championship last season and, at the age of 34, is still eager to reclaim his Test position.
Published: 2026-01-11 06:40:00
source: www.bbc.com
