Ashes 2017/18: Moeen Ali's Role of a Frontline Spinner is Definitely in Danger - Michael Hussey
Former Australia batsman Mike Hussey believes under-fire England all-rounder Moeen Ali could soon face the axe for his poor display in the ongoing Ashes.
The batting legend questioned the allrounder’s position of being the frontline spinner in the team after the 30-year old delivered just six overs on the first day of the ongoing Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and conceded almost run-a-ball.
In fact, part-timer Dawid Malan bowled one over more than Ali who has looked completely out of sorts in Australia.
“If his role is to be a frontline spinner then his position is definitely in danger,” Hussey told cricket.com.au.
“But if he’s a batsman that can help out with the ball, he’d certainly like a few more runs, but maybe he’s got a bit more rope. In my mind, he’s a very good batsman who can help out with the ball. In good conditions like we have in Australia, he’s not going to run through a team and take five wickets,” he added.
Ali has been one of the biggest letdowns for England on the disastrous tour. The left-handed batsman arrived in Australia on the back of a solid summer at home. He bagged the Man-of-the-Series award in the ODIs against the Windies which was preceded by a stunning show in the Test series against South Africa where he contributed heavily with the bat and the ball and became the first player to score 250 runs and take 25 wickets in a four-match series.
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Overall in England’s seven-Test season, he piled up 361 runs at 32.81 and took 30 wickets at 21.30. His performance in the ODIs was equally impressive where he scored 283 runs at 70.75 and a strike-rate of 159.88 in addition to picking up five wickets.
However, Moeen has failed to get even close to those performances against Australia let alone replicating it. He is yet to cross the 50-run mark in three Tests and has picked up just three wickets so far.
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With England consistently struggling to cause much trouble for the Australian batsmen, Hussey also had a word of advice for them. The southpaw suggested England could add the much-needed variety to their attack by including young leg-spinner Mason Crane in the playing eleven.
“There’s a bit of a sameness to their attack,” he said. “I think having a top quality spinner in there, maybe a wrist spinner (would help).
“I know it’s a gamble to bring in someone inexperienced like a Mason Crane, but you’ve got to get 20 wickets and if it’s the same type of bowling coming down at you all the time, the Australian batsmen will get used to it very easily,” he added. “Finding a wicket-taking spinner would be handy.”
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