“That Is A Dream”: Moeen Ali Eyes Coaching Role With England Men’s Team

Former England all-rounder Moeen Ali has opened up about his long-term ambition of becoming a top international coach, admitting that working with the England men’s team remains a dream he hopes to achieve after his playing career.

The 38-year-old, who retired from international cricket in 2024, is currently in Dubai and is set to join England Test captain Ben Stokes for a coaching role with the England Lions white-ball camp in Abu Dhabi. Since stepping away from international cricket, Moeen has spent recent months travelling the globe as a franchise cricketer, featuring in leagues across the Caribbean, Canada, the UAE and Bangladesh.

The coaching arrangement for the Lions camp is informal, with Moeen and Stokes forming part of the backroom staff alongside Andrew Flintoff. Adil Rashid’s elder brother Amar Rashid is also involved, along with experienced Lions coaches Neil McKenzie, Sarah Taylor and Neil Killeen.

Speaking to ESPNCricinfo, Moeen made his coaching ambitions clear. “That is the dream. One hundred per cent, that would be the dream (to be an England coach). I think one day, I would want to be a top international coach. Definitely,” he said. Reflecting on his upcoming stint with England Lions, he added, “It is a great opportunity. I am looking forward to that, big time.”

Moeen is already preparing himself for a future in coaching and plans to complete the England and Wales Cricket Board Level Three Qualification. Coaching, he believes, has always been part of his life. His father Munir was his first coach and runs the Moeen Ali Cricket Academy, while coaching is a family tradition, with his brother Kadeer working as an assistant coach at Worcestershire and cousin Kabir serving as a bowling coach for Warwickshire’s women’s team.

“I used to coach for my dad’s academy, before I played for England,” Moeen said. “I used to coach heavily. My brothers all coach and coaching is part of our genetics in some ways. It is a journey that I have always been on.”

Moeen’s final Test appearance came during the drawn Ashes series at home in 2023, under the leadership of Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, who have been associated with England’s aggressive and entertaining ‘Bazball’ approach. However, Moeen admits his own philosophy is more traditional and technique-focused.

“I am a massive believer in technique. I always have been,” he said. “I think the one that is lacking in cricket right now generally, with so much T20 cricket, is technique and having the foundation of proper batting, like in Test matches.”

He also felt that England’s recent 4-1 Ashes defeat in Australia exposed technical shortcomings. “We got exposed a little bit in Australia, in my opinion, because of probably a bit of a lack of technique at times. Of course, there is the mental side of the game, but I am a big believer in having a good, strong technique first,” he added.

Having evolved from a batter who bowled occasionally into a frontline spinner, Moeen believes spin bowling is an area where he can contribute significantly as a coach. He credited former Pakistan off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq for his development, calling him a genius when it comes to coaching off-spin, while admitting fielding would be his weakest coaching area.

Despite his ambitions, Moeen feels an England coaching role still feels distant. “It feels miles away,” he said. “But when you are playing club cricket or domestic cricket, you feel like England’s miles away. Things can change. Things can happen quickly.”

For now, Moeen plans to take his time, balancing coaching, punditry and playing opportunities. “I am going to take my time with it, do some punditry, and see which one I like and see which one naturally takes me,” he said.

Moeen’s immediate focus remains on playing, with his next assignment coming in the Pakistan Super League for Karachi Kings. He has also reversed his retirement from domestic cricket in England and is set to represent Yorkshire in this year’s Vitality Blast.