Veteran England all-rounder Moeen Ali has been added to the 17-man squad for the second Test of the ongoing five-match Test series against India at Lord’s starting from August 12.
Moeen last played a Test in February against India and claimed 8 wickets in Chennai, but subsequently returned home as part of the rotation policy, is in excellent form in the ongoing The Hundred for the Birmingham Phoenix and can fulfill England’s requirement of an all-rounder.
In the first Test, which was ended in a draw after rain played spoilsport on the final day at Trent Bridge on Sunday (August 8), England’s batting wasn't up to the mark and they lacked balance in the absence of their key all-rounders Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes.
Now Moeen's addition to the squad will give the hosts more depth and add the variety to the spin attack against India.
The call-up means that Moeen is set to play his first Test on home soil since the 2019 Ashes when he featured in England's defeat in the series opener at Edgbaston, then took an indefinite break from the format, for the remainder of the series as well as the subsequent tours of New Zealand and South Africa.
To date in Test cricket, he has claimed 189 wickets at 36.24 in 61 matches, at a sub-60 strike rate that is better than each of the more celebrated spinners above him in England's wicket-takers list - Derek Underwood, Graeme Swann, and Jim Laker.
However, more important is his performance against India on home soil in Tests. He has taken 31 wickets at 22.22 across seven previous matches in 2014 and 2018, including a Player-of-the-Match-winning nine-wicket haul at the Ageas Bowl following his mid-series recall in 2018.
Moeen has five Test centuries to his name, and his most recent Test innings was a hard-hitting knock of 43 from 18 balls, made from No.9 in the closing moments of England's defeat in Chennai in February.
(With ESPNCricinfo Inputs)
