Clearly struggling to move freely, Moeen opted to tee off and flogged 23 runs off his next nine balls, including two sixes over midwicket off Pat Cummins, a ramped upper-cut for four off the same bowler and a pull off Todd Murphy.
But he fell for a 47-ball 34 when he was bowled by Murphy, and his dismissal prompted an England collapse from 184 for 3 to 283 all out.
He did not take the field when England came out to bowl in the evening session. “Moeen Ali has a right groin injury,” a team spokesperson said. “He will continue to be assessed and will not field for the rest of today.”
Asked about the prospect of touring India in January-March 2024 this week, he told the Daily Mail: “No chance I’ll do India. I can’t see it happening.” And while he conceded that “things can change whenever”, he is unlikely to feature again after this match.
England do have another spin option in their ranks in the form of Joe Root’s offspin. Captain Ben Stokes practised his own offbreaks in the nets on Wednesday but is highly unlikely to bowl a ball this week.