"Their biggest mistake was jumping everybody else and calling Moeen Ali back" - Ian Chappell criticises England's selection decision
Former Australian captain Ian Chappell tore into England for picking Moeen Ali for the 2023 Ashes series. Chappell believes a finger spinner ought to give control and wickets at the same time, but he feels the veteran cricketer isn't good enough to do that.
Ali, playing his first Test since September 2021, returned with figures of 47-6-207-3 at Edgbaston. Due to a finger injury, the 36-year-old missed his length on multiple occasions, especially in the second innings, but removed Travis Head twice in the game.
Speaking to Wide World of Sports, the 78-year-old pointed out that bringing in Moeen Ali was a selection error and suggested that Rehan Ahmed could have been a better prospect. He said:
"Their biggest mistake was jumping everybody else and calling Moeen Ali back. The problem England have got is I think they want a certain type of spin bowler and Rehan Ahmed is not the type of bowler they want. That's the wrong way to look at selection. You do that differently to a finger spinner. They seem to want a finger spinner who gives them control, well Moeen Ali will never do that because he's not good enough."
Leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed played his first and only Test against Pakistan in Karachi last year. The youngster took a fifer in the second innings of that Test.
"You've got to pick your best keeper" - Ian Chappell
With Jonny Bairstow missing a few chances behind the stumps at Edgbaston, the South Australian reckons not picking Ben Foakes was a mistake. Ian Chappell stated that England's aging bowlers didn't help their cause further. He said:
"They haven't got a proper wicketkeeper which cost them dearly. You've got ageing pace bowlers who were obviously worn down from earlier in the game and also if you want to mount a bouncer attack, they haven't got the attack to do it. You've got to pick your best keeper, and Foakes is far and away their best keeper. It's not as though Foakes is a gimme with the bat, he's good with the bat. To me, that was a mistake."
England are likely to stick with Bairstow for the second Ashes Test at Lord's, starting on June 28th. Head coach Brendon McCullum has also indicated sticking with Ali at Lord's if fit.