"He still won't be any good in a week's time" - Ian Healy on whether England should persist with Moeen Ali for the 2nd Ashes Test
Ian Healy doesn't see Moeen Ali featuring in England's playing XI for the second Ashes Test against Australia.
The second game of the five-match series will be played at Lord's in London from Wednesday, June 28. Moeen struggled to grip the ball in the first Test in Birmingham due to blisters on his spinning finger, forcing Ben Stokes to use Joe Root ahead of him in the crucial final stages of Day 5.
During an interaction on the SEN podcast 'Dwayne's World', Healy was asked whether England should persist with Moeen Ali. He replied in the negative:
"No, he still won't be any good in a week's time. The top of his spinning finger is off, the whole skin is totally off. So, I cannot see how that can heal and not be painful by next Wednesday and get any practice in during the week."
While naming a couple of other options, the former Australian wicketkeeper opined that the hosts could play with just Joe Root as a part-time spinner:
"Liam Dawson being a replacement type, Adil Rashid being a leg-spinner, or stick with just Joe Root. I think that would be a good Test of their confidence to see how they go there in replacing Moeen because I can't see how he could play confidently again next Wednesday."
Moeen was drafted into England's Test side after Jack Leach was ruled out of the entire Ashes due to an injury. The off-spinner picked up three wickets in the 47 overs he bowled in the Edgbaston Test but struggled for control due to his finger injury.
"I am not making a change" - Ian Healy on whether Australia should bring in Mitchell Starc
Ian Healy was also asked whether Australia should bring in Mitchell Starc and who should he replace if so, to which he responded:
"I am not making a change. The only change I would make would be a forced change if someone has got a niggle or someone might need a little more time to get out of that match. These matches go right to the end of Day 5, they are really tiring."
The cricketer-turned-analyst pointed out that the Australian seamers did not have a strenuous outing in the Edgbaston Test:
"We had the best of that because they bowled right to the end of Day 5 and we did make them toil. Our bowlers didn't particularly have long innings. They bowled less on the first day and they bowled 66 overs in the second innings. So they should be fresh-ish, other than mentally tired."
However, Healy concluded by opining that the bowling attack will not remain the same for the final three Tests.