Ryanair will close its Thessaloniki base and reduce capacity at Athens Airport for the 2026 winter season.

This closure will result in:

• 12 routes being cut
• The loss of 700,000 seats
• A 45% reduction in passenger capacity
• Suspension of operations in Chania and Heraklion

Ryanair said these cuts are due to high airport costs and the refusal of Fraport Greece and Athens Airport to pass on government tax cuts.

Ryanair Chief Commercial Officer, Jason McGuinness, said: “Ryanair regrets to announce the closure of our Thessaloniki base and reductions in Athens for Winter ‘26, resulting in the loss of 700,000 seats and 12 routes across Greece, as well as the suspension of operations at Chania and Heraklion during the off-peak months.

“These preventable traffic reductions are a direct result of the airports’ failure to pass through the ADF reduction, particularly in Thessaloniki where the Fraport Greece monopoly have hiked airport charges +66% since 2019.

“The removal of 3 based aircraft, 500,000 seats (-60% vs. Winter ‘25) and 10 routes from Thessaloniki for Winter ‘26 will be devastating for the city and region, as Ryanair provided 90% of international capacity to Thessaloniki last Winter.

“Unfortunately, there will now be less low-cost air fares for Thessaloniki’s citizens and visitors, and year-round tourism will be harmed as a result.

“These aircraft will be reallocated to Albania, regional Italy and Sweden, where airports have passed on their Govt’s aviation tax savings – resulting in more connectivity, tourism and jobs this Winter in those regions.

“There is an opportunity for Greece to secure significant year-round traffic growth however, this investment can only be realised once the German-run Fraport Greece monopoly fully passes through the Greek Govt.’s sensible tax cut from November’24 – allowing airlines such as Ryanair, to deliver the connectivity required to reduce Greece’s chronic seasonality.”

The 12 routes axed by Ryanair following the closure of its Thessaloniki base

The following routes from Thessaloniki will be scrapped this winter, as a result of the Ryanair announcement:

• Berlin (Germany)
• Chania (Greece)
• Frankfurt-H (Germany)
• Gothenburg (Sweden)
• Heraklion (Greece)
• Niederrhein (Germany)
• Poznan (Poland)
• Stockholm (Sweden)
• Venice-T (Italy)
• Zagreb (Croatia)

Routes from Athens to Milan-M and Chania to Paphos have also been cut.

All operations at Chania and Heraklion Airports will also be suspended over the upcoming winter.

Ryanair calls for the new EES to be suspended

Meanwhile, Ryanair has also called for the rollout of the EU’s new entry/exit system (EES) to be suspended.

The new EES, introduced in April, is an IT system for registering non-EU nationals travelling for a short stay (up to 90 days).

Travellers in Europe now have to provide personal data, and have their fingerprints scanned and a photograph taken as part of the system.

The EES has received significant backlash since its introduction.

A total of 122 passengers were reportedly unable to board the flight from Milan Linate to Manchester last month due to delays caused by the EU’s new EES.

The flight was held for 59 minutes before departing, with the majority of seats empty.

Travellers flying in and out of Malta are also experiencing wait times of up to 40 minutes due to the new system, according to the Times of Malta.

As a result, David O’Brien, the CEO of Ryanair’s Malta subsidiary, Malta Air, has threatened to pull all flights from the holiday hotspot.

Now, Ryanair has renewed calls for the introduction of the EES to be suspended until September in another country, Spain.

These latest calls come after passengers travelling to/from Spain over the May Bank Holiday weekend were “made to suffer” through “avoidable” hour-long passport control queues, causing some to miss their flights.

Ryanair’s Chief Operations Officer, Neal McMahon, said: “It makes no sense that countries, like Spain, are continuing to implement the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) when they are clearly not ready to do so.

“As a result of this half-baked system roll out, passengers are being forced to endure excessive passport control queues, and in some cases, missing flights.

“This May Bank Holiday weekend alone, passengers travelling to/from Spain were made suffer hour-long passport control queues.

“Ryanair’s average flight time is approximately 1hr 15mins – that means that some passengers are spending as much time waiting at passport control than they spent on the flight that got them there.

“It is completely unacceptable, especially when there is a quick and easy solution already provided for under EU law (EU Reg. 2025/1534) to stop these needless queue times – suspend EES until September when the peak summer travel season has subsided and allow passengers a smoother airport experience for their summer holidays.”

Jet2 has also called for the EU’s new EES to be suspended because of the major disruptions and delays it has caused for Brits travelling abroad.

Greece has delayed its introduction of the EES in an attempt to avoid any disruptions to tourism.

The Greek Embassy previously revealed that as of April 10, all British passport holders are “exempt from biometric registration at Greek border crossing points”.

Does the closure of Ryanair’s Thessaloniki base affect your travel plans? Let us know what you think about it in the poll above or in the comments below.

The move has been billed as ‘critical’ for future transport plans in the north.

A small piece of HS2 in Greater Manchester is being resurrected – and it could unlock a wave of future transport improvements across the north.

When former Tory Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed that the northern leg of HS2 was all but dead in late 2023, it sparked huge backlash and frustration.

The move, announced during the Conservative Party conference being held in Manchester at the time, killed hopes of a faster train link from Greater Manchester to London.

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Mr Sunak told Tory conference in October 2023: “I say to those who backed the project in the first place, the facts have changed and the right thing to do when the facts change is to have the courage to change direction.

“I am ending this long-running saga. I am cancelling the rest of the HS2 project and in its place, we will reinvest every single penny – £36 billion – in hundreds of new transport projects in the North and the Midlands.”

But now one small section of HS2 in the north – which includes a link between Manchester Airport and Manchester Piccadilly station – is being brought back.

It forms part of the High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Bill, relating to phase 2b of HS2, which is being ‘repurposed’ with a focus on improving rail connections across the north.

The move is expected to feature in the King’s speech on Wednesday, which sets out the new laws being planned by the government.

Creating the new link in Greater Manchester is a crucial part of wider transport plans across the north, insiders say, and would pave the way for a new Manchester to Liverpool line in phase two of the £45 billion Northern Powerhouse Rail programme.

One source described a new Manchester Airport to Piccadilly connection as the ‘key part’ of the future Manchester to Liverpool connection – a piece of the puzzle which is ‘non-negotiable’ and needs to happen to unlock the rest of the project.

So the High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Bill featuring in the King’s speech on Wednesday could signal a major step forward for a raft of planned railway improvements in northern England.

Henri Murison, chief executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “We’re expecting there may be good news on Wednesday, this is critical because it will enable not just to be connected to Manchester city centre as part of the wider Manchester-Liverpool scheme, but also will in the end connect Yorkshire better to the airport.”

It’s understood that the government decided to repurpose the current High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Bill rather than creating a new one to save the time and money that has already been put into the plan.

Transport secretary Heidi Alexander outlined the plan in Parliament in February.

She told MPs that the High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Bill ‘has been refined’ with a new purpose, and that the Bill itself is the ‘mechanism by which planning consent for the eastern part of the new route between Liverpool and Manchester can be granted.’

She added: “The Bill will have the necessary powers to deliver the section of Northern Powerhouse Rail into Manchester via Manchester airport, including new stations at Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester airport itself.

“We are now seeking to progress the Bill to make the best use of the significant progress it has already made.”

A new Manchester-Liverpool railway line has long been touted as essential to boosting connectivity across the north, as well as keeping the economy in good health.

The plan for a Manchester-Liverpool route could cut journey times between the north west’s two biggest cities to as little as 35 minutes, alongside increasing the number and frequency of trains – something Andy Burnham previously said could turn Piccadilly Station into the ‘King’s Cross of the North’.

Part of the wider project includes plans for an underground Piccadilly station. As Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said at the start of this year: “Finally, we have a government with an ambitious vision for the North, firm commitment to Northern Powerhouse Rail and an openness to an underground station in Manchester city centre.

“Today marks a significant step forward for Greater Manchester. We’ll now work at pace to prove the case for an underground station and work up detailed designs for the route between Liverpool and Manchester.”

The transport secretary said of the High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Bill in February that it is ‘important to crack on and get it done’ given the wider ambitions for the north of England.

This small section of HS2 in Greater Manchester set to be resurrected in the King’s speech on Wednesday could be the key to unlock it all.

An estimated 595 million people globally are living with osteoarthritis. This makes it one of the leading causes of pain and disability.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease, in which tissues in the joint break down over time. The condition can affect any joint, but most commonly the knees, hips, hands and spine.

However, the impact of osteoarthritis often goes beyond the affected joint. The condition can have profound effects on daily life.

Research shows that people with osteoarthritis are less likely to remain in work and more likely to develop additional health problems, such as diabetes, obesity and poor mental health, than those without the disease.

One of the key approaches recommended for managing osteoarthritis is exercise, including aerobic exercise and muscle strengthening. It’s shown to be extremely beneficial for managing the condition and its associated symptoms.

But not everyone who has osteoarthritis is able to exercise due to pain and limited mobility. This is why electrical muscle stimulation, a novel technology that uses small electrical impulses to help muscles contract, is being investigated for managing osteoarthritis.

Exercise for osteoarthritis

Aerobic and muscle strengthening exercises are both proven to address key drivers of osteoarthritis symptoms.

Aerobic exercise can help manage body weight and improve pain by enhancing circulation and reducing inflammation.

Muscle strengthening exercise improves joint stability by supporting the surrounding musculature. This reduces stress on the joint and improves movement.

Together, these approaches can help to break the cycle of pain, inactivity, weight gain and physical decline that can happen in osteoarthritis.

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But as beneficial as exercise is, many people with osteoarthritis are reluctant to try it or struggle to adhere to physical activity long term.

In fact, data suggests that people with musculoskeletal conditions (such as osteoarthritis) are around twice as likely to be physically inactive as their healthy counterparts.

Reported barriers to physical activity include pain, limited mobility, negative experiences of physical activity and a lack of motivation. But the less we move, the more muscle mass and strength we gradually lose.

A difficult cycle can then emerge, whereby pain, stiffness and fear of making symptoms worse all discourage movement. Then, without movement, stiffness and pain worsen.

An alternative approach

When exercise feels too painful or isn’t possible, electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) may offer an alternative method for maintaining and improving strength.

This works by placing electrodes on the skin to deliver small electrical impulses, causing muscles to contract without the joint needing to move. The electrical impulse is similar to the signal we normally send from our nervous system when we want to perform a movement.

When performed instead of exercise over several weeks and sessions, EMS has been shown to increase muscle size and strength and improve function in people with hip and knee osteoarthritis. For example, in people with knee osteoarthritis, EMS performed on the quadriceps muscles three days per week for 4-8 weeks has led to benefits.

The therapy can be used in isolation, or it can be applied during exercise to activate even more muscle fibres in what is called a superimposed muscle contraction.

Electrical muscle stimulation also shows promise for those with severe, end-stage osteoarthritis who are preparing for surgery.

For example, one study compared the effects of performing EMS or exercise before surgery for knee osteoarthritis on postoperative outcomes. The study found that participants who used EMS for 20 minutes a day, five days a week in the six weeks before surgery saw greater improvements in postoperative muscle mass, strength and function, compared with patients who performed physical exercise.

Muscle weakness is common both before and after surgery, partly due to pain and reduced movement. While exercise programmes before and after surgery are widely recommended, research suggests they often only have modest effects on functional recovery from joint replacement surgery.

One explanation may be that people with severe osteoarthritis cannot tolerate the level of intensity needed while exercising to build muscle effectively. In addition, joint trauma and swelling from surgery can cause disruption to the signalling pathways that are required to activate muscles.

Because EMS can bypass some of these signalling issues, it may help to maintain or rebuild muscle where conventional exercise is not feasible immediately after surgery. It’s often used in sports settings for this reason, such as when athletes require anterior cruciate ligament surgery.

Not a replacement for exercise

That said, electrical muscle stimulation is not a magic solution and has its limitations. In many cases, it works best as a complement to, not a substitute for, active rehabilitation.

The body of evidence for its effectiveness in osteoarthritis is also still evolving. Some studies showed inconsistent results or were only conducted using a small sample.

Some people find the sensation of electrical stimulation uncomfortable. Some aren’t suitable for its use (for example, those with pacemakers) and devices can be expensive to buy.

Nonetheless, for those who cannot exercise due to pain, swelling or limited mobility, EMS offers a practical tool to maintain muscle strength. This can help them stay active and independent for longer, recover quicker from surgery, and maintain a better quality of life.

One of the victims to the attack was treated in hospital having a quarter of his ear almost cut off

Two butchers have been convicted of an attack in a Peterborough street in which a man had part of his ear almost cut off. Armed with knives they picked up from the butchers where they worked, Mohamed Moustafa, 27, and Adham Mustafa, 19, attacked the two victims outside Elfaseh Halal Meat, in Gladstone Street in Millfield, at about 3pm on September 16.

The victims, aged 26 and 28, were known to the attackers and were attempting to retrieve a phone that Moustafa had stolen following a dispute two days prior. The 26-year-old was treated in hospital after having a quarter of his ear almost cut off, while the other suffered a cut to his shoulder.

Police went to the scene after receiving multiple calls and Moustafa and Mustafa were arrested. Moustafa, of Huntly Grove, Eastfield, Peterborough, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm without intent and affray, and was found guilty of theft and threatening a person with a bladed article in a private place following a trial at Cambridge Crown Court in March and April this year.

Mustafa, of Lincoln Road, Millfield, Peterborough, pleaded guilty to affray and, at the same trial, was found guilty of threatening a person with a bladed article in a private place.

They both appeared at the same court on Friday, May 8, where Moustafa was jailed for three-and-a-half years. The 19-year-old was sentenced to 19 months in prison, suspended for 18 months. He must also complete 120 hours of unpaid work and a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

Detective Sergeant Sam Moorby, who investigated, said: “The victims had come to try to retrieve a phone that Moustafa had stolen in an earlier incident, but the defendants responded with completely disproportionate violence which has left the victims suffering not only physically, but also emotionally and mentally.

“Thanks to the swift action of our officers, we were able to arrest this violent pair at the scene and put together a case that has resulted in multiple convictions.”

Pivovar has lodged a planning application to convert the vacant Guildhall Restaurant building into a venue dubbed Mittel River Terrace overlooking the River Ouse.

The firm, which runs Elvington Brewery and venues across York and the North, stated they would bring the vacant building into use while being sensitive to the surrounding Guildhall complex.

Pivovar’s planning application comes after the firm’s bid to licence the building was approved by York Council on Monday, April 13.

The two-storey building has stood empty since 2022 when it was built as part of a £20m regeneration of the wider Guildhall complex.

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New plans for the space propose seats for up to 300 patrons spread across two floors.

Brewing equipment would be installed at the centre of the ground floor which would also feature riverside garden, kitchen, toilets and back of house facilities.

More seating and service areas would be on the first floor, along with an outdoor terrace.

The venue would operate from 8am to midnight and serve drinks from 10am to 11.30pm daily.

Pivovar Director Jamie Hawksworth previously told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) a range of lagers would be made on-site with a bespoke brewhouse made in the Czech Republic.

He added it would serve food including oysters and rotisserie pork and chicken sourced from local suppliers.

Mr Hawksworth said they hoped to offer the best private views of the River Ouse in York.

The outside of the Guildhall Restaurant, off Lendal, in York (Image: LDRS)

The director added in February were hoping to open the venue in the summer, subject to the council approving the company’s plans.

Councillors heard in April around £250,000 was set to be spent kitchen facilities alone and it would focus on food though people would be able to come just for drinks.

But representatives of three businesses based in the Guildhall complex told the licensing hearing they were concerned about noise and disruption coming from the venue’s patrons.

A total of five objections were lodged against the company’s bid to licence the building.

York Archaeology Data Services’ Julian Richards said his firm was set to move into offices in the Guildhall in June but took a shorter one-year lease because of the plans.

He added their nightmare scenario was having stag and hen do groups leaning against their office window while staff try to work.

Mr Hawksworth told the meeting they were aiming to foster a continental-style atmosphere at the venue and not have patrons standing shoulder-to-shoulder.

Councillors also heard most customers were expected to come to the venue outside of working hours.

The planning application is awaiting a council decision.

On Sunday night, I attended the Bafta TV Awards as a guest for the very first time.

It was a real pinch-me moment. I’ve been a TV fanatic my entire life, and an entertainment journalist for five and a half years… and here I was, brushing shoulders with some of the most talented performers and creators in the industry.

One minute, I was walking the red carpet, sipping champagne, watching the awards ceremony and eating my dinner, having been invited by Prime Video. 

The next, I was casually passing Danny Dyer, Alex Hassell, Matt Smith, Aimee Lou Wood and Adjoa Andoh as they chatted to their friends, colleagues and families, letting their hair down as they celebrated one of the biggest nights in British TV.

The whole night was a blast, aside from my agonising pain from wearing heels for eight hours before changing into flats for the dancefloor. But there were several surreal moments that are going to stick in my mind for a very long time to come.

Anyone missing a Bafta?

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I went to fetch my bag and coat during the early hours after the Bafta TV Awards. There it was, in all its glory – one of the iconic bronze mask trophies, casually propped up on a shelf of the cloakroom.

The afterparty at London’s Royal Festival Hall had been popping. Champagne flowing, the dancefloor overspilling with partygoers dancing their butts off, and several winners from the night proudly carrying their trophies everywhere they want. 

While I trusted the safety of the cloakroom, there’s no way I’d leave my prize in there if I were a lucky winner. When I congratulated Simon Schama over his Bafta win in the cloakroom queue, he was holding his award with an iron-tight grip. I’d do the same.

The Adolescence team knows how to party

We’ve all heard throughout awards season how the Adolescence family loves to get down – and on Sunday night, I witnessed their celebrations firsthand… and they were as glorious as you’d hope. 

Off the back of their many deserving wins – including Best Limited Drama, Best Actor for Stephen Graham and Best Supporting Actor for Owen Cooper – the team took over a corner of the bar area during the afterparty, hugging, taking photos, chilling on sofas and singing while everyone else watched on. 

At one point when I looked over, Hannah Walters was dancing with an epic scrunched expression on her face, a testament to the banging, nostalgic playlist being cranked up by the DJs behind the deck. If she’d been on the actual dancefloor, there’s no doubt she would have been in the centre of it.

Dancing with A-listers made me miss the tube – it was worth it

The Bafta TV Awards afterparty was genuinely one of the best nights out I’ve had in a while. At first, I wasn’t sure if it would pop off. The dancefloor was empty, people milling around everywhere having mellow drinks… but then everything changed.

Once the DJ started playing the Sugababes, that was the final push (the button) the crowd needed to move to the dancefloor, packing every inch of it. Tunes followed the Scissor Sisters, Whitney Houston, and Natasha Bedingfield, and it just kept getting better and better.

At one point, I found myself dancing with the fabulous Angellica Bell, who declared me her dance partner when the people we were with ventured off to get drinks. I’ll be living off that title for the next week.

As I Wanna Dance With Somebody started playing, Anita Rani was living her best life, singing every word in unison with everyone in the room. The vibes were immaculate, and were the reason I ended up staying until the early hours.

Poor Seth Rogen being chased around the room

The Bafta TV Awards are obviously a major event in global entertainment, and yet for some reason, a part of me still finds it strange when American Hollywood stars cross over the pond to attend. I know it makes no sense – the Baftas are a huge deal – but I can’t help it.

Sunday night saw Seth Rogen attend to represent The Studio in the International category, for which they won, while Severance star Adam Scott and former Bafta Rising star nominee Awkwafina also appeared on stage to present awards.

While at dinner at the Royal Festival Hall, I heard whispers about a gaggle of people surrounding Seth in the smoking area, asking for photos. From the sounds of it, he very politely obliged – despite more people apparently trailing him around the venue in the hopes of coveted selfies.

I was over the moon to have a photo with the legendary Celia Imrie, who made light of Seth’s on-stage quip about only knowing her from her Celebrity Traitors fart. You’ll be glad to hear – and unsurprised, I’m sure –that she was utterly lovely. 

I can’t believe my faux pas with comedy royalty

Two years ago, I covered the Bafta TV Awards, interviewing stars on the red carpet and in the winner’s press conference. This year marked my first time attending as a guest, and so there were some moments when my adrenaline was racing, and I was in a bit of a fluster.

Following the ceremony, I made my way down five flights of stairs to the dining area, spotted my table on the seating chart and headed over. I shuffled around my table trying to spot my name place, but there was a man inadvertently standing in the way.

I politely said excuse me, to which the man apologised and moved to allow me some space – and as I looked up, David Mitchell was staring back at me. 

Rather than say anything remotely smooth to introduce myself to the Last One Laughing UK season two winner, I just stared back awkwardly and then sat down in my seat. Next time I’ll be cooler… hopefully.

The 2026 Bafta TV Awards are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

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A social media influencer has been arrested after he allegedly refused to pay his tab costing nearly $400 at a Nashville restaurant.

Dalton Eatherly — who goes by Chud the Builder online and is known for trying to provoke people during his livestreams by saying racial slurs — was taken into custody Saturday night after police were called to Bob’s Steak & Chop House, which is located in a hotel downtown.

According to Eatherly’s arrest affidavit, the restaurant staff and security manager told cops that they had asked Eatherly not to be disruptive or livestream while he was being served, according to local NBC affiliate WSMV.

The 28-year-old contractor went on to order two full entrees, drinks and appetizers that amounted to a $371.55 bill, the police report said. The restaurant workers then realized that he had allegedly been live streaming on the crypto trading platform pump.fun the entire time, and asked him to stop.

Eatherly allegedly became disruptive at the request and began to make racial statements, yell and cause a scene. He then said, “I’m not paying if you are kicking me out,” according to the affidavit.

He then left the restaurant, which is when staff called the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office.

Officers found the streamer walking on Broadway. The affidavit said he “pulled his arm away” while being taken into custody, but was otherwise arrested without incident.

He was admitted to jail Sunday at around 4 a.m. local time, according to online inmate records. He was booked on a bond totaling $5,000 and was released around seven hours later.

Eatherly is charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and theft of services.

After the incident, Eatherly shared the full livestream footage on X, claimed that police had taken his phone as “evidence of the crime,” and made his mugshot his profile picture on the platform.

“Just got back to my airbnb after 13hours in custody for leaving a restaurant when i was asked to,” he wrote.

He said in a separate post: “I partially ate the two appetizers i ordered. Never got my meal, and couldnt enjoy or finish the food i did get.”

Eatherly did not immediately return The Independent’s request for comment on the recent allegations against him.

The streamer has defended his inflammatory behavior as free speech in the past.

On a fundraising page launched in November, Eatherly asked for financial help after saying his contracting business in Clarksville, Tennessee, was struggling because he was “under attack” for his racist online presence.

“I’ve shared mild jokes, unfiltered thoughts, and yes, sometimes I’ve used the N-word in what I thought was edgy, harmless humor,” Eatherly said on the site. “ I know it’s controversial, but it’s my right to speak freely.”

Spin bowling was the area of England’s Ashes masterplan left most exposed in Australia. After asking Shoaib Bashir to learn on the job, England then turned to batting all-rounder Will Jacks for four Tests, with predictable results.

In that sense, Jacks is the man in possession, and the battle to be England’s number one spinner has appeared to be wide open.

There would be an irony in England ignoring Bashir, who was picked for Test cricket when he could not get a game for Somerset, and now could be left out despite playing regularly for new county Derbyshire.

Jack Leach remains probably the most reliable spinner in the country, while leg-spinner Mason Crane is bowling well for Glamorgan eight years after he won his only England cap. Nottinghamshire left-armer Liam Patterson-White, Sussex off-spinner Jack Carson and Northants all-rounder Calvin Harrison are all respected in county cricket.

Perhaps it is time for England to invest in Rehan Ahmed. In 2022, Ahmed was an original Bazball pick when, at 18, he became the youngest man to play for England.

He has hovered on the fringe of the England team since, with none of his five caps coming at home or as the sole spinner.

As a young leg-spinner, Ahmed will have times when his bowling goes off the boil, but he also has an X-factor. Root and Bethell are reasonable options if England need a spinner to hold an end.

With six first-class hundreds, Ahmed is an ideal number eight, meaning England would never have to worry about the tail-end batting as they rotate their seamers. When Stokes retires, Ahmed could move up the order as England’s all-rounder.

Leicestershire’s Ahmed is currently at the Indian Premier League, though his Delhi Capitals face a battle to reach the latter stages. England have also shown that an IPL stint is not a barrier to Test selection.

With England at a low ebb, Ahmed would bring some mystery, exuberance and excitement.