Moeen Ali vs Rehan Ahmed - who should England pick for 2nd Ashes Test at Lord's?
England face multiple conundrums ahead of the second Ashes Test at Lord's against Australia. Amid the overwhelming pressure to defend their approach and decisions, the team are also presented with a slight selection headache.
The last-minute stress fracture to Jack Leach led to Moeen Ali's return from retirement. While the all-rounder's second stint got off to a positive start, his ability and output were severely hindered due to injury. The all-rounder battled a blister on his bowling finger, and could only bowl 14 overs at an economy of 4.10, on a dry surface that offered turn.
With the Lord's Test nearing by, there is still no clarity over Moeen's recovery or his potential ability to bowl long spells across both innings. England have already announced the addition of young leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed into the squad. He will be one of the youngest players to partake in the Ashes if Ali's injury does not heal in time.
However, should the all-rounder be fit for the upcoming contest, the fight for a place in the playing XI should be an interesting one, especially after how the first Test transpired.
On that note, let us take a look at who England should include in their playing XI as the sole spinner for the second Ashes Test.
Roles
Moeen Ali's presence in the side as an all-rounder extended the batting depth considerably. Already having a penchant for an attacking style of cricket, the left-handed player features in the playing XI as a lower middle-order batter and an off-spin bowling option with the part-timer Joe Root.
Rehan Ahmed, however, will be picked keeping his leg-spin in mind. However, it is to be noted that he is no slouch with the bat. He marked his Ashes call-up with a brute-hitting display in the Vitality Blast. It is yet to be seen whether his first-class batting average of 33 will hold up in the pressure of the Ashes coupled with an in-form Australian bowling outfit.
Recent form
Moeen Ali's most recent contest comes in the form of the Ashes opener, where he picked up three wickets and scored 37 runs. He could have been influential in the second innings on the dry pitch if he was injury free.
All in all, it was a solid return to the whites for the all-rounder, considering that it was his first red-ball fixture in a while.
Rehan Ahmed has been a vital cog in the Leicestershire squad across formats this season. Currently playing in the Vitality Blast, the youngster has been among the runs and wickets with the white ball.
His last red-ball appearance came a couple of weeks ago in a fixture against Gloucestershire in Bristol. He scored a combined 99 runs across both innnings, but ended up wicketless with the ball after bowling 26 overs.
Overall, in the County Championship this season, he has picked up six wickets at an average of 67.66.
Plan A vs X Factor
Moeen Ali was the first name that England turned to after Jack Leach's injury despite the all-rounder having retired from the format in 2021. It shows the unwavering faith that the team has in his abilities and intend to keep him as the first-choice option should he remain fit.
Additionally, Ali has done enough on his return fixture to warrant his place in the playing XI if he is fully fit. Even tactically, it adds up as he made an impression against the heavy left-handed Australian batting unit in the Ashes opener.
Rehan Ahmed's probable inclusion in the playing XI, on the other hand, makes him a huge X-factor against the Australian unit, which has hardly faced him before. He came up against the likes of Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne during the matches against Sussex and Glamorgan earlier in the season, but could not make an impression with the ball, but scored heavily with the bat.
While the current England side embody the spirit of taking bold steps and doing the unthinkable, they are unlikely to take a drastic measure in this aspect for the time being. Should Moeen Ali be fully fit, he will remain as England's first-choice spinner, given the trouble they went to convince him to return as well as his abilities.
The fact that a green surface awaits the team at Lord's also tips the scale towards Ali. England would benefit from having an experienced batter down the order and a bowler who can chip in with tight spells as the fast bowlers rest after what are expected to be lengthy spells.
Who should England include in their playing XI as the spin bowling option? Let us know what you think.