Moeen Ali is back! England's veteran spinner recalled for Ashes after agreeing sensational Test comeback
Moeen Ali, who retired from Test cricket at the end of the 2021 summer, has reversed his decision following discussions with Test Captain Ben Stokes, Test Head Coach Brendon McCullum and Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket Rob Key.
FollowAfter responding to an SOS from the team's management, veteran England spinner Moeen Ali has reversed his retirement from Test cricket and been added to the team's Ashes squad against Australia, starting later this month.
According to ESPNcricinfo, Moeen Ali confirmed that he was asked to explore a possible comeback to Test cricket after a lower-back stress fracture to Jack Leach during England's 10-wicket win over Ireland at Lord's.
Moeen Ali spoke with England's managing director, coach, and captain, respectively, Brendon McCullum, Rob Key, and the ECB confirmed on Wednesday morning that Moeen had consented to play Test cricket once more.
For the opening two Ashes Tests at Edgbaston and Lord's, he has been added to England's lineup.
"We reached out to Mo early this week about returning to Test cricket," Key said. "Having had a couple of days to reflect, Mo is excited to join the squad and play Test cricket again. His vast experience, along with his all-round ability, will benefit our Ashes campaign. We wish Mo and the rest of the squad well for the Ashes campaign."
Since announcing his retirement from Test cricket in September 2021 following England's series against India, Moeen has not participated in a first-class match.
Since his retirement, he has won two IPL championships with Chennai Super Kings and the T20 World Cup with England. He has also played for a number of overseas franchises in between his international commitments. Additionally, he went back to his native Warwickshire, where he spent the previous week leading their Vitality Blast team.
However, Moeen has been more receptive to the notion of playing Test cricket since McCullum and Stokes took over a year ago. After speaking with McCullum, he seriously considered returning for England's December tour of Pakistan, but ultimately decided against it because of the thought of having to spend additional time away from his family amid a busy winter of white-ball cricket.
The England team will arrive in Birmingham on Tuesday and have three training days before the series begins on June 16 at Edgbaston. Even though this is Moeen's home field, he hasn't played a red-ball match there since the first Test of the 2019 Ashes, when he took 3 for 172 in the match before being benched.
If chosen, Moeen will probably bat at No. 8 but is not yet a lock to start. Spinners often play a peripheral role at Edgbaston - only three wickets have fallen to spin in three County Championship games at the venue this season - and with Stokes' fitness to bowl still unclear, England may be tempted to field an all-seam attack supplemented by Joe Root's offbreaks.
With 20 wickets at an average of 64.65 against Australia, he has struggled in the past, but those statistics also include a taxing 2017–18 tour where England's lack of resources for spin forced him to play all five Test matches despite ripping his spinning finger open on the seam of the ball early in the tour.
