ENG vs AUS 2nd Test: The England Cricket Team is facing trouble over Moeen Ali's participation in Ashes 2023. The all-rounder walked out from Test retirement and took part in the Ashes 2023 after a hiatus of 21 months. Moeen, who played the series opener in Edgbaston, was out from England's team for the Lord's Test. Meanwhile, there is a major update on Moeen Ali's finger injury.
As per a report of ESPNCricinfo, England are having fingers crossed over Moeen's participation in the third Test of Ashes 2023. "Fingers crossed that in the next couple of days, he gets to rest it and he gets to Headingley and he's ready to go," England's spin-bowling coach Jeetan Patel said as quoted by the website.
"It was pretty disgusting at the end of the Test… we've tried to look after it as much as we can. It's looking in really good shape; it's healed really, really well," he added.
Moeen bowled on all three days on the practice pitch
Meanwhile, the 36-year-old is practising on the practice pitch to keep himself ready. Along with Ahmed, who was called in as his cover for Lord's Test, Moeen bowled on all three days to keep his finger working. Patel watched the all-rounder and stated, "It's the best I've ever seen him bowl."
Moeen split the skin of his ball spinning finger in the first Ashes Test after making a comeback. He bowled 47 overs in the game and took 3 wickets. Patel also acknowledged the load it has taken on the off-spinner to come back to Test cricket. Mo hasn't bowled 30 overs (in a day) in a while and that was always going to be part of the risk of bringing him in," Patel said.
"But we knew that and he knew that - and he still said yes, and we still asked him. Is there a way to look after your fingers? Just bowl. It's probably the only way to do it: bowl regularly. He bowls four overs a game so he's probably not used to it and he hasn't bowled with a Dukes for two years," he added.