Former England all-rounder Moeen Ali has revealed his ambition to become a top-level international coach, including the possibility of one day coaching the England men’s team.
The 38-year-old, who retired from international cricket in 2024, is currently in Dubai and preparing to take up an informal coaching role alongside England Test captain Ben Stokes at the England Lions’ white-ball camp in Abu Dhabi. In recent months, Moeen has remained active in franchise cricket, featuring in leagues across the Caribbean, Canada, the UAE and Bangladesh.
The Lions camp will see Moeen and Stokes working as part of the backroom staff alongside Andrew Flintoff. The wider coaching group also includes Amar Rashid, Neil McKenzie, Sarah Taylor and Neil Killeen.
“That is the dream. One hundred per cent, that would be the dream,” Moeen told ESPNcricinfo when asked about coaching England. “One day, I would want to be a top international coach. Definitely.”
Reflecting on his upcoming role with the Lions, he added: “It is a great opportunity. I am looking forward to that, big time.”
Moeen is currently working towards completing the England and Wales Cricket Board’s Level Three coaching qualification. Coaching, he says, runs deep in his family. His father, Munir, was his first coach and runs the Moeen Ali Cricket Academy, while his brother Kadeer and cousin Kabir are also involved in coaching within county cricket.
“I used to coach at my dad’s academy before I played for England,” Moeen said. “I coached a lot growing up. My brothers coach too, so in some ways coaching is in our genetics. It’s a journey I’ve always been on.”
Moeen played his final Test series during the drawn 2023 Ashes under Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, whose aggressive ‘Bazball’ approach has redefined England’s red-ball cricket. However, Moeen considers himself more traditional and believes modern cricket has lost its technical foundations amid the rise of T20 leagues.
“I’m a massive believer in technique. I always have been,” he said. “With so much T20 cricket, which is great in many ways, technique and the foundations of proper batting, like you see in Test matches, are lacking.”
He pointed to England’s heavy Ashes defeat in Australia as an example.
“We got exposed a little bit in Australia because of a lack of technique at times,” Moeen said. “The mental side is important, of course, but strong foundations have to come first. Then you can develop everything else.”
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Moeen also reflected on his own evolution as a player, particularly his growth as a bowler after starting out as a part-time option. He credits former Pakistan off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq as a major influence.
“I went from being a part-timer to learning everything on the job,” he said. “I worked with Saqi and other unbelievable coaches. Saqlain Mushtaq is a genius when it comes to off-spin and coaching it.”
Asked about the possibility of coaching England in the future, Moeen admitted it still feels distant.
“It feels miles away,” he said. “But when you’re playing club or domestic cricket, England also feels miles away. Things can change very quickly.”
For now, Moeen plans to explore coaching and media work before committing fully to either path.
“I’ve always gone with the flow,” he said. “I’ll see where both take me.”
Moeen’s immediate focus remains on playing. He is set to feature for Karachi Kings in the upcoming Pakistan Super League and has also reversed his retirement from English domestic cricket, with a return to Yorkshire confirmed for this season’s Vitality Blast.
