ENG v IND: England could recall Moeen Ali in one of several changes for the second Test against India at Lord's starting on Thursday after escaping with a draw in the series opener.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The tourists had the better of a rain-affected first Test at Trent Bridge, with a hundred from home captain Joe Root -- who also top-scored with 64 in a meagre first-innings 183 -- and a last-day washout frustrating Virat Kohli's men in their efforts to go 1-0 up in a five-match series.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The home side did not play a specialist spinner in Nottingham, again omitting the unfortunate Jack Leach, amid concerns they would otherwise have too long a tail in a side missing all-rounders Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
But with Stokes continuing to take a break from cricket because of mental health issues and Woakes still nursing a heel injury, Moeen has been added to England's squad.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Moeen has scored five hundreds in 61 Tests that have also yielded 189 wickets.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Against India at home, he has 31 wickets in seven Tests during 2014 and 2018 series wins for England.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The 34-year-old has played only white-ball cricket since his last Test appearance against India in Chennai in February when he took eight wickets and hit a second-innings 43 in a losing cause.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He twice dismissed India captain Kohli in that match but played no further part in the series, taking a scheduled rest as part of England's rotation policy after team management had, in a late change, asked him to stay on.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Moeen, who could replace Dan Lawrence, has been in fine form in the inaugural season of the Hundred, with Root saying Tuesday: "We'll look at conditions and weigh things up but he's in a great position to play.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"He's scored big hundreds and won the games with the ball as well and he's a fine cricketer."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
England have significant concerns about their top order, with opener Dom Sibley taking a laborious 203 balls to score 46 runs at Trent Bridge. Zak Crawley is also vulnerable to being dropped after averaging just 11 in Test cricket this year.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Either batsman could make way in the top three for Haseeb Hameed, who has not played Test cricket since 2016.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Hameed's breakthrough as a teenager in India nearly five years ago was cut short by a broken hand and his career stalled during a loss of form with Lancashire. But a move to Nottinghamshire in late 2019 has seen him back in the runs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"Ever since the first day I met him I've been extremely impressed with him as a person, with his maturity as a young man back then," said Root of Hameed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
England coach Chris Silverwood agreed the top order was a worry when he said Monday: "We have to address and accept we are not getting those runs, so we have to look at the why."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Meanwhile, England could be without Stuart Broad after the veteran quick suffered a heel injury on Wednesday. If Broad is unfit, his place may be taken by express quick Mark Wood.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Kohli, speaking after the end of the first Test, said he felt a side featuring four quicks and spin-bowling all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja gave India the right "template going ahead in the series".<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He added: "We certainly felt like we were on top of the game."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
India, however, could be forced into a change given seam-bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur is reportedly struggling with a hamstring problem.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
And with conditions at Lord's likely to offer more assistance to slow bowlers than in the first Test, that may lead India to recall star off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.<\/p>\r\n", "image": "https:\/\/img.cricketnmore.com\/uploads\/2021\/08\/england-consider-moeen-as-they-ponder-test-changes-against-india.jpg", "alt_img": "Cricket Image for 2nd Test, Preview: England Consider Moeen As They Ponder Test Changes Against Indi", "alt_title": "Moeen Ali and Joe Root", "image1": null, "video": null, "seo_title": "2nd Test, Preview: England Consider Moeen As They Ponder Test Changes Against India On Cricketnmore", "seo_desc": "ENG v IND: England could recall Moeen Ali in one of several changes for the second Test against India.", "seo_keywords": "India Tour Of England 2021, Moeen Ali", "tag": null, "tagging": "India Tour Of England 2021,Moeen Ali,", "status": "1", "img_rpt": "0", "google": "1", "standout": "0", "edapps": "0", "pulse": "0", "no_index": "0", "feed": "0", "fixture": null, "slug": "2nd-test-preview-england-consider-moeen-as-they-ponder-test-changes-against-india", "user_id": "0", "read_count": "1", "ians_date": null, "ians_time": null, "server_time": null, "trash": "0", "view_count": "2188", "page_break": "0", "instant_articles": "1", "auto_link": "1", "created": "2021-08-11 11:59:53", "updated": "2021-08-11 12:00:38", "img_from": "Image Source: AFP", "img_source": null, "schedule_publish": null, "news_keywords": "ENG v IND, England vs India, Moeen Ali", "livescore_text": null, "livescore_link": null, "btn_text": null, "resend_feed": "0", "google_feed": "0", "read_more": "0", "posted_by": "21", "jio_date": "2021-08-11 11:59:53", "scheduled": "0", "news_now": "1", "breaking_news": "0", "google_date": "2021-08-11 11:59:53", "featured": "0", "pred_match_id": null, "article_content_type": null, "link": "https:\/\/www.cricketnmore.com\/cricket-news\/2nd-test-preview-england-consider-moeen-as-they-ponder-test-changes-against-india-81237" }