Moeen Ali’s counter-attacking innings after Lunch on Day One of the final men’s Ashes Test match at The Kia Oval divided opinion among pundits, who questioned whether he should have retired with his injury rather than continue playing risky shots.

England lost three wickets in the morning session after they were put into bat by Pat Cummins, but Moeen and Harry Brook steadied the ship before Lunch. They put on a fifty-run partnership towards the end of the session, and were circumspect in their approach after the break.

However, it soon became clear that Moeen was struggling with an injury. He pulled up short after taking a single and required medical attention to his groin before carrying on with his innings. That marked a significant change in his approach, as he looked to score boundaries rather than run between the wickets. The following over, he pulled Pat Cummins for six over mid-wicket.

When Cummins came on for his next over, Moeen hit his first ball for another six, although this time it was more of a top edge. He finished the over with a ramp for four. On 11 off 38 deliveries before he pulled up injured, Moeen had now raced to 30 off 45.

However, his innings  came in for criticism from the Sky pundits as to whether his approach was fair to Brook at the other end, who had reached a half-century, or whether swinging from the hip was the best use of Moeen’s batting.

“I think it’s safe to say that Moeen Ali’s groin is troubling him because up until this point he has played superbly,” said Mark Butcher. “Very orthodox, getting out of the way of the short ball and defending nicely. He’s played the odd glorious cover drive, but he’s decided it’s time to have a swipe.

“Would you consider perhaps getting him off the field? Giving him some treatment instead of throwing your wicket away? Maybe call on the next batter, go in and try and get your groin sorted out so that you can come out and play normally again.

“You can see him hobbling back to the crease now as well,” replied Mel Jones. “So the injury to Moeen Ali has affected his game which he’s adjusted and now all of a sudden, how does it affect Harry Brook’s game as well? Harry Brook isn’t getting the quick singles with Moeen Ali struggling at the other end.

“One of the words I’ve heard across the summer, both in the men’s Ashes and the women’s Ashes, is autonomy. Basically, over to the players to decide their game plan and their decisions out in the middle. So I look at this and I think Moeen Ali has probably decided himself, I’m gonna hit out, I’m gonna stay out in the middle. But then there’s also that conversation that you’ve just brought up, is that the best thing for the team? And who can trump that decision being played by Moeen Ali at the moment?”

“I mean, they’re clearly ok with it up in the dressing room,” said Butcher. “There’s not been any move to call him in, but it has a twofold effect. Moeen is now taking extremely high risks and could very easily have lost his stumps that last delivery, but he also can’t run the singles for Harry Brook. Harry Brook has been dabbing the ball down, he’s looking for ones but he can’t get up the other end so he can’t run for his mate and whether that affects the way that Harry Brook is playing. It’s just interesting, you know, people have opinions and they’ll see it a different way but it’s certainly worth a consideration, I think.”

Moeen was out to Todd Murphy in the over after he hit Cummins for a six and a four. He tried to swing across the line but missed, the ball hitting middle stump.

The wicket sparked a collapse for England and they lost their next three wickets for 28 runs, falling to 212-7 before Tea. A recovery effort from Mark Wood and Chris Woakes saw them head into the interval on 250-7.

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