"He has barely been in the side for two years" - Michael Vaughan questions England for making Moeen Ali the vice-captain
Former England captain Michael Vaughan had plenty of complaints about the national team's performance against India in the Oval Test, but Moeen Ali becoming vice-captain was also one of Vaughan's main concerns. He did not ignore it amid the hosts' underwhelming batting display in both innings.
Vaughan questioned Ali's appointment as he has not even been a regular member of the side for the past two years. The 46-year old believes it was unfair to Burns and instead puts extra pressure on Ali, who is still regaining his form.
"I always question some of their thinking. Why did they appoint Moeen as vice-captain? He has barely been in the side for two years. It would have been a nice little boost for Burns, who is a regular in the side, to be made vice-captain this week on his home ground. It was a decision that puzzled me and perhaps put more pressure on Moeen who is still making his way back in the game," Vaughan wrote in his column for The Telegraph.
Jos Buttler's absence from the fourth Test made Rory Burns a contender to become Root's deputy. However, at the last minute, the management thrust Moeen Ali into the position. Unfortunately, Ali's performances weren't responsible or significant enough.
Moeen Ali failed to deliver impactful performances with both bat and ball:
The home side needed Ali to step up more than ever in the fourth Test at the Oval. He made 35 runs in the first innings before playing an awful shot, leading to his downfall. England lost their upper hand after his dismissal and a shot at a substantial first-innings lead.
The veteran all-rounder did not score in the second innings and delivered an underwhelming performance with the ball. Though the 33-year old wasn't required to bowl in the first, he had figures of 26-0-118-2.
England eventually crashed to a 157-run loss on the final day despite the openers giving them a bright start while chasing 368.