Moeen Ali retired from Test cricket and it is yet again a combination of lack of utilization and the stress of playing too many formats which has caused players to retire from only one format.
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In the era of coronavirus and multiple formats in cricket, it was only a matter of time before some player announced his retirement. That announcement came recently when Moeen Ali announced his retirement from Test cricket with immediate effect. Moeen was always an under-utilized all-rounder who had his moments. Who spun England to victories in Southampton in 2014 and 2018 that helped them win against India? Which was the last time a spinner in England took a hat-trick? Where were people when he heroically held out with James Anderson in the dying moments in Leeds against Sri Lanka in 2014?
For all those moments, Moeen was never given his full due. There was always an air of uncertainty around Moeen. Whether he was a batsman who bowled or a bowler who batted? An average of 28 with the bat is damning in 64 Tests. Yet, 195 wickets, only behind the likes of Jim Laker, Graeme Swann, and Monty Panesar is an indication of how good a spinner he was. His hat-trick against South Africa at The Oval was the peak of Moeen the bowler. With the bat, his knock at Leeds was a testament to what he could truly achieve.
When Graeme Swann retired in the aftermath of the Ashes in 2013/14, it exposed a gaping hole in England’s bowling. During their reign as the No.1 Test side for two-three years, it was the likes of Swann and Panesar that ensured England’s fast bowling duo of James Anderson and Stuart Broad ran through the batting. Swann and Panesar had ensured England had won in every condition, barring the UAE where they were outclassed by Pakistan.
With the retirement of Moeen from Tests, who will be the spinner in the long run for England? Adil Rashid has decided to focus on white-ball cricket. The likes of Dom Bess and Jack Leach have not yet been penetrative at the highest level. Although, both Leach and Bess shone in 2018 and 2021 in Sri Lanka, against other opponents they have been found wanting. When England tried out legspinner Mason Crane in the 2018 Ashes in Sydney, he was tonked for over 200 runs.
The spin department is a major issue in England. In the County circuit, there has not been much exposure to quality spin. That is why England’s batsmen have also faltered in tackling spin when they go to the sub-continent.
Now, with the retirement of Moeen from Tests, England has a massive issue when it comes to finding their next best spinner. When Swann retired, England was lucky they found Moeen. But, now with Moeen gone, there seems to be no one that can match the quality of Moeen Ali. In the ongoing County Championship, only two spinners have taken over 50 wickets in the season. Simon Harmer has been consistent for Essex in the last couple of seasons but he does not even feature on the ECB radar. Callum Parkinson, the left-arm orthodox spinner, has taken 50 wickets but his average is close to 30.
Leach and Bess have struggled in the championship, managing 40 and 30 wickets at an average of over 30. In short, England do not have a plan to bring in their next spinner ahead of the Ashes that will take place.
With the strain of bio-bubbles and having to play all three formats, Moeen’s retirement from one particular format is just the tip of the iceberg. There will be many more who will announce their retirement from one format or the other. The circumstances of Moeen’s retirement from Tests is different, though. After he was axed from the central contracts list in 2019, he was never the same bowler. When there is uncertainty and the stress of the pandemic bio-bubble, this was bound to happen.
The uncertainty around the Ashes is going to have a far greater impact on Test cricket than T20. At this point in time, England losing a frontline spinner is a body blow in their mission to regain the Ashes after four years. But, England’s batting has been shoddy. With Australia not playing a Test for close to a year now, they will be fresh. Moeen’s departure also leaves a big gap at No.7. Quick runs and solidity in a weakened top and lower-middle order will make England vulnerable.
Moeen may have quit the ECB over their schizophrenic treatment of him after 2019. The uncertainty in treating a player is something that every board grapples with. In the time of coronavirus and bubble fatigue, more players might want to pull out of tours and series. The trend of quitting only one format to concentrate on others is the way forward, sadly.
