‘Moeen has got real issues with…’: Former England captains analyze the chink in Ali’s armour

Moeen Ali was a key member of the England Test team for over a decade, and he is widely regarded as one of the best all-rounders in the world. Ali retired from Test cricket in 2021 but then made a comeback to feature in the star-studded playing XI of Ben Stokes and Co. for the 1st Ashes Test against Australia at Edgbaston.
However, Ali has had a number of injury problems throughout his career, both in white-ball and red-ball cricket. These injuries have often hampered his performances, and they have also led to him taking extended periods of time away from the game.
One of the most common injuries that Moeen has suffered is a finger injury. This concern resurfaced when Ali had a bler on his index finger as the Englishman struggled to bowl for the hosts in his comeback Test on Day 3.
Former England captains Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain opened up about Moeen Ali’s performance against the Australian side and said: “[Applying the spray] shows Moeen has got real issues with that spinning finger because he hasn’t been playing red-ball cricket. He is going to have a lot of bowling to do in this Test match and potentially the series,” Atherton said on Sky Sports Cricket.
“It is the whole debate about the difference between white-ball and Test cricket. Jonny Bairstow has not kept that much and we saw the sloppiness that happens after a day in the field. Moeen hasn’t bowled with a red Dukes ball for a long, long time,” added Hussain.
Ali has reportedly worked with a sports therap to strengthen his core and improve his flexibility. He has also changed his bowling action to reduce the amount of stress on his fingers.