Moeen out of retirement to join England Ashes squad

All-rounder Moeen Ali has come out of Test retirement to join the England squad for the first two of the five Ashes Tests against Australia. Moeen replaces spinner Jack Leach, who misses the series after suffering a stress fracture in his back. He reversed his decision after being approached by England captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum. The 35-year-old said he found the Test format “really difficult to get into” when he retired in September 2021. Rob Key, managing director of England men’s cricket, said: “We reached out to Mo early this week about returning to Test cricket. Having had a couple of days to reflect, Mo is excited to join the squad and play Test cricket again. His vast experience, along with his all-round ability, will benefit our Ashes campaign.