With the India vs. England Test series heating up, the hosts have added an intriguing twist to their preparations for the second Test in Birmingham.
England pulled off a stunning chase at Headingley to go 1-0 up and now they have called on an old ally - Moeen Ali; to lend his experience at Edgbaston.
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His visit could be a calculated move for England, especially with left-handers such as Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan and Rishabh Pant in the Indian lineup.
Why did Moeen Ali visit England camp in Edgbaston?
Moeen's surprise visit to England's training session at Edgbaston on Monday sparked plenty of buzz. Though retired from international cricket, he remains a keen observer of the game and was warmly welcomed by England's setup.
England get some local expertise at Edgbaston as Moeen Ali pays a visit 🌀 #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/2NAYawAwnw
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) July 1, 2025
Head coach Brendon McCullum and spin coach Jeetan Patel were seen deep in discussion with him about how the pitch might play out. Edgbaston has been a happy hunting ground for Moeen in the past, and England hopes to tap into his deep familiarity with its conditions.
Does Edgbaston favour spin?
Yes, and that is where things get interesting. The Birmingham pitch has historically offered early assistance to seamers but tends to wear out by Day 3.
This allows spinners to come into play. With Shoaib Bashir set to play as the lone spinner, England's approach is clear: they want to extract every possible turn from the surface.
Moeen's experience could help Bashir target Indian batters more effectively, particularly Jaiswal. He looked solid in the first Test but will be tested further if conditions start turning.
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Yashasvi Jaiswal's Test record against spin
Jaiswal has strong numbers against spin in his Test career so far. Here is a breakdown of his numbers against various types of spin in Tests.
| VS Player Type | Innings | Runs | Dismissals | Avg | SR | HS | 50 | 100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Left-arm Orthodox | 17 | 346 | 6 | 57.7 | 83.2 | 55 | 1 | 0 |
| Right-arm Legbreak | 5 | 101 | 0 | - | 82.1 | 50 | 1 | 0 |
| Right-arm Offbreak | 21 | 550 | 6 | 91.7 | 73 | 110 | 1 | 1 |
With the numbers on his side and a century under his name in the previous Test, Jaiswal should be confident facing England's spin in the second Test.
Does England have a home advantage at Edgbaston?
England have a win percentage of 53.5% in Tests at Edgbaston, winning 30 of their 56 matches here, including 11 losses and 15 draws.
Interestingly, Edgbaston has also been a fortress for England against India in Test cricket. They are undefeated against the Indians, holding a strong record of seven wins and a draw.
With momentum from Headingley and home conditions at Edgbaston, the hosts are going in with an unchanged XI. With skipper Ben Stokes' backing and Moeen's mentorship, Bashir's role as England's lead spinner will be pivotal on a surface that typically offers turn as the match progresses.