‘He has got real issues with that spinning finger’ - Michael Atherton expresses concern after Moeen Ali’s injury scare in first Ashes Test

Star England all-rounder Moeen Ali was brought out of retirement to feature for his side in the Ashes 2023. The 36-year-old made his return to the setup after positive discussions with skipper Ben Stokes, and his inclusion in the side came as a replacement for Jack Leach, who recently sustained a lower back stress fracture.

It is also worth noting that Ali bowled the most overs in the first innings of the first Ashes Test. Bowling 33 overs, he managed to take two wickets, dismissing Travis Head and Cameron Green. However, Ali's long hiatus from red-ball cricket was evident when he made his return in Ashes 2023.

Bowling the most overs among the English bowlers, Ali went through an injury scare in the first innings as he had a blister on his index finger and struggled to bowl in the latter stages of the day. Continuing upon the same, former England skippers Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain came forward to give their take on Ali’s performance and the injury scare. 

"[Applying the spray] shows Moeen has got real issues with that spinning finger because he hasn't been playing red-ball cricket. He is going to have a lot of bowling to do in this Test match and potentially the series," Atherton told Sky Sports Cricket. 

Moeen hasn't bowled with a red Dukes ball for a long, long time: Hussain

Furthermore, Nasser Hussain touched upon the difference between white-ball and red-ball cricket and also opined that Ali has not bowled with the red Dukes ball for a long time.

"It is the whole debate about the difference between white-ball and Test cricket. Jonny Bairstow has not kept that much, and we saw the sloppiness that happens after a day in the field. Moeen hasn't bowled with a red Dukes ball for a long, long time," Nasser Hussain said.

Furthermore, Ali was also fined 25% of his match fee after he was found guilty of breaching the ICC code of conduct after he was spotted applying a drying agent to his hand before coming out to bowl.