Former England captain Nasser Hussain backs Moeen Ali recall for Ashes

Moeen last played a Test in September 2021 and had announced he was stepping back from the format but has returned following Jack Leach's back injury

Former England captain Nasser Hussain has backed Moeen Ali to perform in the Ashes upon his return from Test retirement.

Moeen last played a Test in September 2021 and had announced he was stepping back from the format.

However, following injury to Jack Leach less than two weeks before the start of the five-match series against Australia, The Cricketer reported on Monday that England had made the call to the off-spinning allrounder to fill the void.

Hussain said: "He's got 195 Test match wickets as a spinner and only Derek Underwood and Graeme Swann have got more."

Asked about Moeen's lack of red-ball cricket, Hussain added: "It is a little bit of a concern, and it is a bit of a kick in the teeth for some of the other spinners playing county cricket. But this is the Ashes, and you do what's best to win five Test matches."

^{Hussain backed Moeen's return (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)}

Moeen was picked ahead of the likes of Will Jacks and Rehan Ahmed, both of whom represented England over the winter, and other finger-spinners with international experience in Liam Dawson and Dom Bess.

Moeen has previously rejected overtures for a Test return when England travelled to Pakistan over the winter, with the prospect of a long tour away hardly appealing after his experiences of lockdown cricket previously.

But England begin this series at Edgbaston, down the road from his home and at the home ground of the county, Warwickshire, to which he returned over the winter after more than a decade at Worcestershire.

"He's going back to Edgbaston, a ground he knows well, a ground he loves, and that crowd will get right behind him if he plays," said Hussain.

"With it being Edgbaston, and it's going to be hot this weekend, I think Edgbaston can get flat and it can spin there so you'd want a quality spinner in your side."

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• Moeen Ali to make Test return after accepting approach from Ben Stokes to replace Jack Leach

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