Graeme Swann backed England to be stronger with Moeen Ali in the side, and believes the returning off spinner is “still brilliant”.
Ali retired from Test cricket at the end of the 2021 summer, but reversed his decision following discussions with the England management after the news broke that Jack Leach was ruled out of the Ashes with a back stress fracture.
Arguably England’s best spinner of the century so far, Swann believes it is the culture cultivated by Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes that has enticed Ali back into the England Test fold.
“The very fact that Baz and Stokesy are in charge makes it easy for him. They’ve said ‘you come in and all your positive attributes are what we’re after.’ Swann said.
“None of the hang ups of anything that has happened before or not performing or whatever. I’m sure he’s just been given a licence to run up and bowl and spin it as hard as he can and bat the way he can.”
“I think it makes us stronger which is hard on Jack because he was doing a good job with the ball, but it extends the batting which is important and with all their lefties we’ve got an off spinner bowling at them.
“I’m glad to see him back. He’s still brilliant. I watched him in the IPL, he’s mercurial sure, but he’s still a brilliant talent.”
Leach has played every Test of the ‘Bazball’ era, but his injury has forced Stokes and McCullum to find an alternative solution, and they chose to turn to experience rather than future talent.
Ali brings a wealth of experience in the format, with 64 Test caps, 2,914 runs and 195 wickets to his name already.
Since the start of the new era, England have not looked at averages, but instead at individual players and talent, with Swann also in agreement that it may not matter than Ali has not picked up a red Dukes ball for two years.
“They don’t worry about it. They are redefining red ball cricket and I applaud that, I think it is great,” he said.
“My one concern is the difference between bowling with the red Dukes ball and the white Kookaburra, there is a major difference.
“It is harder to bowl with a red Dukes ball. It is not as easy to grip, it is smaller. That might be an issue, just getting enough overs under the belt to be confident.”
England have made mistakes when it comes to spin before, most memorably when Simon Kerrigan, arguably one of the best spinners in English county cricket, was handed his Test debut against Australia in 2013.
Kerrigan was taken apart. He conceded 53 off eight overs, and that was that for his international career.
Swann admitted it was concerning that England turned to the old guard, but admitted a poor Ashes performance can ruin a career.
“It is concerning because we haven’t got ten candidates line up and banging on the door,” Swann said. “It says what it says which is that we don’t have good enough spinners in the country ready to go.
“We have spinners coming through - I’ve been with the Lions and there are some talented lads there who I don’t think personally are quite ready for Test cricket but they might be if they played because it is so much in the head.”
He added: “It could ruin a career before it has even started so I think Mo is a safe and exciting option.”
::Graeme Swann was speaking at an IG Net Gains campaign launch to invest in new public net facilities in 20 locations across the country
