England have opted for a specialist spin-heavy lineup for the crucial third Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi, bringing in Rehan Ahmed to join Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir. This marks Rehan's return to the team for the first time since February, as England anticipates that Pakistan's efforts to create a turning pitch will pay off. With the addition of Ahmed, England has chosen to sacrifice some pace bowling depth, dropping Brydon Carse and Matt Potts from the squad. Gus Atkinson will be the sole specialist fast bowler in the lineup. This decision indicates that captain Ben Stokes is prepared to take on a more significant role in the bowling attack, having previously bowled only five overs in each innings during his comeback from injury in the second Test in Multan.

Pakistan has made a bold decision for the second Test against England by opting for a spin-heavy bowling attack. The hosts have dropped several regular players and brought in experienced spinners, hoping that the Multan pitch will offer more turn than it did in the previous match. Azhar Mahmood, Pakistan’s assistant head coach, maintained that there would be no change in the team's approach, despite the significant shifts in strategy over the past few days. Just a few weeks ago, Pakistan relied on an all-pace attack against Bangladesh, and their captain, Shan Masood, had previously stated that they would prepare seam-friendly pitches for the series, citing concerns about their spinners' ability to take 20 wickets in a match. However, after last week’s Test, where their two specialist seamers bowled a combined 57 overs, the team has now decided to go with only one specialist seamer, who is a part-timer. This marks a dramatic shift as they place their faith in spin bowling for the upcoming match.