Australian head coach Andrew McDonald is very much wary of the threat posed by England all-rounder Moeen Ali in the much-anticipated Ashes series starting on June 16 in Edgbaston. The 35-year-old has taken back his retirement from test cricket and returned to the squad for the first two tests of the upcoming Ashes.
The England all-rounder has a better record with both the bat and ball in home tests as compared to his away appearances and he would suit England’s aggressive style of gameplay in a red ball over the last two years and would look to contribute to the team’s success with both bat and ball against the well-oiled Australian team.
After the emphatic win over India in the World Test Championship, the Australian team has set their eye on the prestigious Ashes trophy. Speaking to ICC, Andrew McDonald feels that Moeen Ali will pose a challenge for them even though he hasn’t played test cricket for a longer time and reckons that Jack Leach’s absence will huge blow for the England side has complemented the England pace attack picking crucial wickets for the team.
“I think there’s a challenge there, isn’t there? Mo hasn’t played a red-ball game for an extended period. No doubt he’ll be prepared; he’s had a couple of weeks’ notice.
“But I think Jack Leach complemented that attack and his wicket-taking ability, and the way Ben Stokes has used him has been a little more aggressive and has reaped some great rewards,” Andrew McDonald said.
Moeen Ali announced his retirement during the 2021-22 Ashes Series to prolong his career in white-ball cricket. The 35-year-old played a pivotal role in the team’s success in the 2019 ODI World Cup and 2022 T20 World Cup and has been an integral part of the team’s success under Eoin Morgan’s captaincy and will look to provide some vital contribution for his side in Ashes 2023.
Moeen Ali Has 190-odd Test Wickets As Well And Strengthens Their Lower Order – Andrew McDonald
Andrew McDonald believes that it would be a different challenge for Australia with Moeen Ali coming into the play, as he played a pivotal for the team in the past few years, as he can some crucial role for the England team lower down the order and reckons that Ben Stokes-side will come with a different plan with Jack Leach out of the series.
“So, yeah, it will look different with Mo there. Mo has 190-odd Test wickets as well [and] strengthens their lower order, so it won’t be the same but they’ll have to operate fractionally differently – no doubt about that,” Andrew McDonald added.
England team hasn’t held the Ashes since 2015. However, their form has been outstanding in the past 12 months, giving them the best chance of regaining it. The most exciting Ashes this year is scheduled to begin on June 16, with the first Test to be played at Edgbaston in Birmingham.