England on Friday, June 23, included spin bowler Rehan Ahmed in their Ashes 2023 squad for the second match. moeen aliWho injured his spin finger during the first test match at Edgbaston, Birmingham.
The 18-year-old spin all-rounder made his international debut during England’s tour of Pakistan in December last year. He shone in the third Test with a five-wicket haul in the second innings but it turned out to be his first and last innings for the Ben Stokes-led side.
Rehan was considered when first-choice spinner Jack Leach was ruled out of the entire Ashes 2023 due to injury. But the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) recalled Moeen Ali from retirement for the first two Tests. Moeen dismissed Travis Head and Cameron Green in the first innings of the Edgbaston Test and scored 37 runs in two innings.
But his finger injury has put England in a difficult position ahead of their next match, starting on June 28. Joe Root Has been impressive with spin of late as he is currently in the ICC’s list of top 10 Test all-rounders.
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting shared his thoughts on Moeen’s possible absence from the Lord’s Test. Ponting said that experienced players cannot play at Lord’s with a finger injury and advised Ben Stokes to go with four fast bowlers and Root as the main spin option.
“Moeen can’t play the next game with his finger like this,” Ponting told ICC Review. “I think if the wicket is really flat, they will obviously go for another spinner as a replacement. Another way could be that they play four fast bowlers and use Joe Root as their spin option.
“If the wicket at Lord’s offers something more, which I think it will – Lord’s will offer more to the seamers than the wicket at Edgbaston. They could bring in Wood, who has something different to offer. He is obviously very quick and bowls a really good short ball.”