England had a big problem when Jack Leach was ruled out of Ashes 2023. However, Ben Stokes approached Moeen Ali and then, things started to work for England. Moeen did struggle at the start, especially with his fitness. However, by the end of the series, he had a good series as the lead spinner and also provided a few valuable contributions with the bat. England’s next assignment will be the tour of India. Moeen Ali has confirmed his retirement and hence, Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes must search for partners for Jack Leach. On that note, here, we take a look at two players who could replace Moeen Ali in the England Test squad for the India series.
1) Liam Livingstone
Liam Livingstone made his Test debut recently in Pakistan. Hence, it is clear that he would be in the future plans for the five-day format.
Yes, he might not be an accomplished spinner like Moeen but Livingstone will be useful for the team. While he can be employed as a pure batter, a few overs of part-time leg-spin or off-spin can help the lead spinner in the unit.
2) Will Jacks
Will Jacks is one of the players who could replace Moeen Ali in the England Test squad for the India series. Like Livingstone, Will Jacks also made his Test debut in Pakistan. Hence, he could also be in the plans for the tour to India.
He might actually be a good replacement for Moeen. From a bowling perspective, Will Jacks offers similar attributes. With the bat, he has a high ceiling and it won’t be a surprise if he can manufacture a few big knocks. Considering he is just 24-years old, there would be time to develop and England would have an incentive here, as well. Hence, he is a part of this list.
