But Stokes then introduced Ahmed in the afternoon session and the youngster ripped apart Pakistan's middle order.
With an unprecedented 3-0 Test series whitewash on home soil, 'Master Blaster' Sachin Tendulkar stepped forward and admitted that maybe it is time for India to have an "introspection."
An unbeaten Joe Root century and a bowling masterclass by James Anderson put England in complete control of the second Test on Saturday.
Captain Shan Masood smashed 153 and forged a 253-run partnership with fellow centurion Abdullah Shafique as Pakistan dominated Day 1 of the first Test against England on Monday.
"It's not something you see too often," NZ batting coach Luke Ronchi said after stumps of Nicholls' dismissal.
England star Joe Root is cementing his status as one of the greatest players as he achieved new career-high rating in the latest ICC Men's Test Batter Rankings.
England lost opener Zak Crawley but held firm in the final hour of a pulsating day four in the second Test against New Zealand.
Uncapped spinners Amar Virdi and Matt Parkinson have also been named in England's squad for the Test series against West Indies.
England have named an unchanged squad for the first two Tests of the five-match Ashes series against Australia.
Moeen has played 68 Tests, scoring over 3,000 runs and taking more than 200 wickets, as well as appearing in 129 one-day and 74 T20 internationals.
Scott Boland will become the first indigenous Australian Test player since Jason Gillespie played his last match in 2006 when he receives his baggy green cap on Sunday.
Rohit Sharma, India's captain, acknowledged the dry pitch and the team's readiness for the challenge.
Moeen made his Test debut in 2014 and played his last Test against India at the Oval in September 2021. He scored 2,914 runs in 64 Tests at an average of 28.29, and picked up 195 wickets with his off-spin.
Patel lauded Joe Root for supporting the three main spinners with a fine spell.
Rishabh Pant smashed a blistering 146 and forged a 222-run stand with Ravindra Jadeja to drag India back into the contest in the rescheduled fifth Test against England in Edgbaston on Friday.
Jamie Smith smashed a counter-attacking 89 before England's bowlers made early inroads into the Pakistan line-up to drag the touring side back into the deciding third and final Test.
Images from Day 3 of the first Test between India and England, at the M A Chidambaram stadium, in Chennai.
'Looking at them, five or six Tests between them, to bowl the way they did yesterday without Joe -- what they produced was incredible.'
Spinner Dom Bess was named in England's 13-man squad for the first Test against West Indies and there was no place for Moeen Ali among nine reserves, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Saturday.All-rounder Ben Stokes will lead England in the match, which will begin at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton on Wednesday in a bio-secure environment amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
'We felt like we had a lot of different wicket-taking opportunities. The odd ball was staying low, we got the ball reversing a little bit, and got the odd ball to spin as well. It's never an easy position.'
IMAGES from Day 3 of the 2nd Test played between Pakistan and England in Multan, on Thursday.
England head coach Brendon McCullum said they will have to do some deep thinking about their approach after being "exposed" in the final four matches in India but is convinced their first series defeat under his watch will make them a better side.
Since embracing Bazball, England are yet to lose a Test series, while India remain unbeaten at home since 2012-13.
England off-spinner Moeen Ali should be fit to face Australia in the third Test at Headingley with his finger injury healing well.
IMAGES from Day 2 of the 2nd Test between England and New Zealand played at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Saturday.
England spinners Dom Bess and Jack Leach must have gained a lot by bowling in Sri Lanka in a just-concluded series but a bigger challenge awaits them against India in the four-Test series, starting from February 5, said former Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene.
James Anderson, Broad and Ollie Robinson will lead the pace attack with Moeen, who retired from tests in 2021, returning to the side after Jack Leach was ruled out of the series due to a back injury.
Veteran English seamer James Anderson says his team might be compelled to open with two spinners in the upcoming five-Test series against India as it looks for ways to counter the traditionally spin-friendly conditions in the host country.
The legendary Anil Kumble has termed England's bowling attack for the opening Test against India, starting in Hyderabad on Thursday as "highly inexperienced", while predicting a comfortable 4-1 win for the hosts in the five-match series.
'It was good fun to be out there. It was great to bat with Roy. He gave me a lot of confidence and allowed me to just play the way I wanted to play'
Can the legendary James Anderson and Stuart Broad bowling together in what will clearly be their last Test in India stun the Indians on Thursday afternoon?
England's lead spinner Jack Leach says he is ready for a new role as the day-night pink ball Test against India looks set to bring the seamers back into the forefront after the spinners dominated the first two matches.
Indian batters are not known for their sweeping skills but they made a conscious effort to practise that shot in their opening net session ahead of the second Test against England beginning in Visakhapatnam on Friday.
IMAGES from Day 1 of the rescheduled 5th Test between England and India at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Friday.
As expected, fast bowler Jofra Archer was included in the 12 and looks poised to make his Test debut in the absence of England's record wicket taker James Anderson.
Images from Day 1 of the third Test between England and New Zealand at Headingley on Thursday, June 23, 2022.
While Stokes's availability comes as a welcome boost to England's bowling department, they will not be able to call upon first-choice spinner Jack Leach, who suffered a stress fracture in his back earlier this month.
Rishabh Pant and Cheteshwar Pujara forged the only century-plus partnership of the innings but India still finished the day 321 behind.
'The hardest place to play in the world is India.'
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