'Shane Warne never got a five-for there' - Nasser Hussain opines on England's playing XI for Lord's Test

With an injury cloud hovering over Moeen Ali's fitness and his participation in the Lord's Test, former England skipper Nasser Hussain feels that the hosts can go in with four seamers in their bowling attack and rely on Joe Root's handy off spin as the only spin bowling option.

Leg spinner Rehan Ahmed who was exceptional for the Three Lions during the 2022 U19 World Cup in the West Indies, finishing as the second-leading wicket-taker for the side in the competition has not looked back since then and continues to impress in county cricket. He has been rewarded for the same and added as a cover for Moeen who is battling finger blisters at the moment and is in a race against time to get fit for the 2nd Test at Lord's.

Though Rehan's inclusion has grabbed a lot of eyeballs, Hussain believes that the Ben Stokes-led side should go with an extra seam bowling option if the wicket at Lord's looks conducive for pace and if the weather conditions add to the same.

Nasser opened up on the injury to Moeen that he picked up in the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston and also brought to notice that the English all-rounder was troubled by the same injury before in 2017. Hussain mentioned that Lord's has never been a spin-friendly venue and therefore advocated for the addition of an extra seamer in England's bowling attack.

“I think they need to have a look at their team a bit. Moeen Ali, his finger, that would be a gamble,” Hussain told The ICC Review podcast. 

“I know he's got a week off and he's had this injury before in 2017. Only Moeen will know whether a week is enough for the skin to heal, or whether that would just rip it up again.

“He may not bowl as many overs at Lord’s. Lord’s is not a spinning paradise. Shane Warne never got a five-for there. 

“I might play four seamers and Joe Root as your spinner, but I've not seen the pitch.”

Hussain opined that England should preferably replace Moeen with either the raw pace of Mark Wood or Chris Woakes who has enjoyed incredible success at Lord's thus far and is also a handy batter lower down the order.

“He (Wood) would probably have to come in for Moeen and use Joe Root as your spinner, so go down the four seamers route, or Chris Woakes,” Hussain said.

“Chris Woakes has got a fantastic record at Lord's, and that would increase the batting as well, another all-rounder in there.

“So either Woakes or Wood for Moeen Ali.”