England spinner Moeen Ali considers retirement backflip amid Ashes SOS
After Jack Leach was ruled out of the Ashes, England have been faced with their relative lack of spin bowling options.
England spinner Moeen Ali could make a stunning Test comeback after retiring from the red ball game in 2021 to answer an Ashes SOS from England skipper Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum. Ali could return to the England side after incumbent spinner Jack Leach was ruled out for the entire Ashes series with a stress fracture in his lower back.
Ali hasn't played a Test since retiring from the format in 2021. He's still been plying his trade, notably helping the Chennai Super Kings win two IPL titles, as well playing in England's T20 World Cup win on Australian soil in 2022.
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It's not the first time Ali has been approached by McCullum regarding a Test comeback, with the 35-year-old turning down the chance to join England for their tour of Pakistan last December. However an Ashes series at home could prove to be too enticing to turn down.
While Ali was a decisive factor in England's 3-1 series victory in 2015, where he took 12 wickets and hit two half-centuries, he struggled when the series came back to Australia in 2017-18 and was ultimately dropped after playing just one Test in 2019. However several England veterans have enjoyed something of a renaissance under McCullum, with Stuart Broad among those advocating for his return.
"We know Mo is a phenomenal cricketer and someone who would fit into Stokes and Baz’s philosophy beautifully," Broad said. "I don’t know if he’s being considered by the selectors or if he would consider red-ball cricket again. But he’s a mighty fine cricketer.”
Ali had cited the physical and mental toll of Test cricket as part of the reasoning behind his 2021 retirement from the format. England have 10 days to replace Leach, who was the only specialist spinner in the squad before being ruled out.
The likes of Rehan Ahmed and Will Jacks are considered part of England's future plans, but neither were expected to make a Test debut in the Ashes. Part of Ali's appeal to England is his ability with the bat in the lower order.
A temptation for Ali could be the possibility of joining a rare class of elite Test all-rounders. Set to turn 36 later this month, Ali is just 86 runs and 15 wickets shy of achieving the double of 3000 runs and 200 wickets taken at Test level.
Nathan Lyon throws down gauntlet for Aussie spin hopefuls
Meanwhile, Australian counterpart Nathan Lyon has issued a challenge to Australia's next generation of spin bowlers to prioritise a potential long-term future in Test cricket. The Aussies successfully introduced Todd Murphy into the Test fold in the tour of India earlier in 2023, with the likes of Matt Kuhnemann also waiting in the wings.
Lyon, Australia's most prolific Test spinner since Shane Warne, has urged his successors to try and resist the temptation of the big money on offer in white ball cricket around the world to ensure a similar situation doesn't develop at home.
"The young guys have to decide whether they want to live the high life and get paid really well or do they really want to challenge themselves and play for Australia," Lyon told Yahoo Sport Australia. "To get your baggy green and play Test cricket for a long time, that's the absolute ultimate.
"Test cricket is still the pinnacle. It is the only format where you cannot hide. In T20 cricket and one-day cricket, you can get away with having a little weakness or shortcoming.
"In Test cricket, if you have a weakness against the short ball or short-pitched bowling or spin bowling or whatever it may be, you always get found out. I'm definitely not concerned about the future of Test cricket but it's on players, not just administrators, to ensure it has a future."
Lyon sits on 97 consecutive Tests for Australia and will crack the ton, if all goes to plan, in the second Ashes Test at Lord's. Mark Waugh (107) and Allan Border (153) are the only Australians above him on that exclusive list. But it's another piece of history Lyon is chasing first.
Pat Cummins' team meet India in the World Test Championship final at The Oval from June 7, attempting to become the first Australian side to lift the trophy. "You look at what those great teams led by Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting and Allan Border achieved (and) we can be the first Australian team to win this," Lyon said.
"So, it is very special and something that I'm proud to be a part of. If you asked any international Test cricketer if they want to be a part of it, I'd be amazed if they said no.
"This is the World Cup of Test cricket. This is, in NRL terms, our grand final. If you look at our last 24 months, I think we aimed up to allow us to be in this game and we'll compete hard and hopefully win it."
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