There may be troubles ahead: England selection issues.

[backfootpunch]

It has been interesting to read about Bayliss' thoughts on Rashid moving forward. He's not been afraid to say that Rashid had a future as England's spinner essentially saying that Ali will not survive if his results improve. The Gruniad point to Strauss being key to Rashid's inclusion in the England side, makes one wonder if Ali's days are numbered.

Maybe as a frontline spinner, sounds like England have one eye on the tour of India next year and want to give Rashid the opportunity to establish himself as a test bowler.

With question marks over Ian Bell, Moeen can still remain a member of the test squad by batting in his usual position at number 3.

LOL. Are you for real???

It's where Moeen normally bats for Worcestershire in County Cricket, he's wasted batting at number 8.

i feel like moeen deserves a chance to show he is a batsmen worth persisting with but he cant bat higher than 5, he flirts outside offstump far too much to be anywhere near a new ball every innings against international class bowling

as england have not given him much of a chance batting him at 8 and 1

[Arthur Crabtree]

Mo did bat at six when he was first selected. And he did make a very good ton against SL, and bowled quite well that summer. During this summer, it wasn't too obvious he was going badly at eight, scoring runs down the order and picking up the occasional wicket on pitches mostly helping the seamers. Putting him at the top of the order was always potentially foolhardy, and if he fluffed the part, then I think he was unfortunate. He didn't appear to be failing before this flawed experiment.

[shankycricket]

It has been interesting to read about Bayliss' thoughts on Rashid moving forward. He's not been afraid to say that Rashid had a future as England's spinner essentially saying that Ali will not survive if his results improve. The Gruniad point to Strauss being key to Rashid's inclusion in the England side, makes one wonder if Ali's days are numbered.

Maybe as a frontline spinner, sounds like England have one eye on the tour of India next year and want to give Rashid the opportunity to establish himself as a test bowler.

With question marks over Ian Bell, Moeen can still remain a member of the test squad by batting in his usual position at number 3.

LOL. Are you for real???

It's where Moeen normally bats for Worcestershire in County Cricket, he's wasted batting at number 8.

Except that its the position where he has had the most success in Tests. He failed miserably at 6 against a fairly mediocre Indian seam attack at home and looked hopelessly out of his depth as an opener in the UAE, statistically the best place for opening batsmen in Test cricket. Yet he should apparently bat at 3 against the new ball versus Messrs Steyn, Philander and Morkel in South Africa on bouncy pitches? Oh Well....

[shankycricket]

It has been interesting to read about Bayliss' thoughts on Rashid moving forward. He's not been afraid to say that Rashid had a future as England's spinner essentially saying that Ali will not survive if his results improve. The Gruniad point to Strauss being key to Rashid's inclusion in the England side, makes one wonder if Ali's days are numbered.

Maybe as a frontline spinner, sounds like England have one eye on the tour of India next year and want to give Rashid the opportunity to establish himself as a test bowler.

With question marks over Ian Bell, Moeen can still remain a member of the test squad by batting in his usual position at number 3.

LOL. Are you for real???

It's where Moeen normally bats for Worcestershire in County Cricket, he's wasted batting at number 8.

i feel like moeen deserves a chance to show he is a batsmen worth persisting with but he cant bat higher than 5, he flirts outside offstump far too much to be anywhere near a new ball every innings against international class bowling

as england have not given him much of a chance batting him at 8 and 1

Why does he deserve a chance as a specialist batsman? Would he have been picked as a specialist batsman had he not been a spin bowler with a FC average of 37 predominantly playing in Division 2 cricket? The answer is No. Likewise, would he have been picked for his bowling alone if he batted and fielded like Monty? The answer is again No. He was picked because he can do both but at Test level, over a fairly decent run of one and a half years, he hasn't really shown he can excel in either department, let alone both. In other words, this is typically bits and pieces.
And he did fail as a middle order batsman at 6 against India. I honestly don't see what he has done to earn a run as a specialist batsman now that he has failed as a spinner. This was his tour to really establish himself. IMO he was England's most important player going into the series. He had the chance to really lay down a marker. And he failed spectacularly. Move on!

[meninblue]

There is no specialist spinner in England who is in class of Ashwin / Yasir / Herath / Lyon. Now they're realizing how big a mistake it is to drop Monty who could take five fer couple of times in one series against India in India. They have wasted one proven specialist spinner capable of running through best of spin playing lineups. Although Moeen is not a specialist spinner of that quality, he still is lot better than part time spinner. Rashid too has not yet established himself. England cannot afford to drop Moeen considering the spin talent they have. Moeen needs to be utilized as the second spin option and probably the lead spinner temporarily whenever Rashid or other specialist spinner gets injured.

[Slipstream]

I would still pick Ali as our main spinner. He makes the breakthrough when our seamers don't. 35.2% are batsmen 1-3. Broad 31.6% - Anderson 37.3% - Rashid 0%.
Warner (4) Hafeez (3) Sangakkara (2) Smith (2) Pujara (2) etc. He is also the best number 8.

[Alviro Patterson]

It has been interesting to read about Bayliss' thoughts on Rashid moving forward. He's not been afraid to say that Rashid had a future as England's spinner essentially saying that Ali will not survive if his results improve. The Gruniad point to Strauss being key to Rashid's inclusion in the England side, makes one wonder if Ali's days are numbered.

Maybe as a frontline spinner, sounds like England have one eye on the tour of India next year and want to give Rashid the opportunity to establish himself as a test bowler.

With question marks over Ian Bell, Moeen can still remain a member of the test squad by batting in his usual position at number 3.

LOL. Are you for real???

It's where Moeen normally bats for Worcestershire in County Cricket, he's wasted batting at number 8.

Except that its the position where he has had the most success in Tests. He failed miserably at 6 against a fairly mediocre Indian seam attack at home and looked hopelessly out of his depth as an opener in the UAE, statistically the best place for opening batsmen in Test cricket. Yet he should apparently bat at 3 against the new ball versus Messrs Steyn, Philander and Morkel in South Africa on bouncy pitches? Oh Well....

Whenever i've seen Moeen bat, he looks comfortable playing shots short of a length so the South African wickets will suit his stroke play.

[backfootpunch]

Maybe as a frontline spinner, sounds like England have one eye on the tour of India next year and want to give Rashid the opportunity to establish himself as a test bowler.

With question marks over Ian Bell, Moeen can still remain a member of the test squad by batting in his usual position at number 3.

LOL. Are you for real???

It's where Moeen normally bats for Worcestershire in County Cricket, he's wasted batting at number 8.

i feel like moeen deserves a chance to show he is a batsmen worth persisting with but he cant bat higher than 5, he flirts outside offstump far too much to be anywhere near a new ball every innings against international class bowling

as england have not given him much of a chance batting him at 8 and 1

Why does he deserve a chance as a specialist batsman? Would he have been picked as a specialist batsman had he not been a spin bowler with a FC average of 37 predominantly playing in Division 2 cricket? The answer is No. Likewise, would he have been picked for his bowling alone if he batted and fielded like Monty? The answer is again No. He was picked because he can do both but at Test level, over a fairly decent run of one and a half years, he hasn't really shown he can excel in either department, let alone both. In other words, this is typically bits and pieces.
And he did fail as a middle order batsman at 6 against India. I honestly don't see what he has done to earn a run as a specialist batsman now that he has failed as a spinner. This was his tour to really establish himself. IMO he was England's most important player going into the series. He had the chance to really lay down a marker. And he failed spectacularly. Move on!

its not what he has done to deserve another series, its what england have done to him

he has been placed in positions that he is not used to and deserves another chance in the middle order, one failed series means very little, when put into the context of bairstow who has failed in every series in his favoured position yet keeps getting picked. moeen would have scored at least one ashes hundred had he been batting 6 not 8 but he kept running out of support

and tbh there arent many other candidates lining up to claim a place in the line up, if ian bell is in the team then he probably wont play but if bell goes then moeen will probably play. im assuming since it hasnt already been announced that bell isnt retiring and will be in the team, because of this it could well be that whoever bowls the best in the ODI series out of rashid and moeen will decide who starts the test matches

[hopeforthebest]

I believe Moeen has a central contract if so it means the selectors see him as a test player and are unlikely to drop him in a hurry. I'm certain he will be in the test squad for SA.

[ianp1970]

Moeen will be back at 8 on Boxing Day.

[ianp1970]

...and will probably be at 7/8 in the upcoming ODI series, when (in Stokes's absence) there is a case for him to open so we can play an additional bowling option.

[dan08]

6 is the highest Moeen should bat.

[ianp1970]

6 is the highest Moeen should bat.

Tests or ODIs or both, Dan?

[backfootpunch]

...and will probably be at 7/8 in the upcoming ODI series, when (in Stokes's absence) there is a case for him to open so we can play an additional bowling option.

roy did well in the last series and they are investing in hales because of his promise

so there isnt really space at the top of the order, might be good for him to bat down the order, like buttler he may be able to hit himself back into form

[ianp1970]

If Roy and Hales open, we end up with only Root as the 6th bowling option.