Has player power gone too far?

England allrounder Moeen Ali has signed up for the Pakistan Super League

The continued non-availability of Moeen Ali for Test selection remained the most intriguing aspect of the announcement over the weekend of the South Africa touring party, which included returns for Jonny Bairstow, James Anderson and Mark Wood. Intriguing, not just because of what it says about Ali and where he is at, but because it illuminates the cricketing landscape, and how tricky it is for selectors and administrators to pick their way through its intricacies.

On the face of it, Ali’s situation is simple. After a difficult year in which the 32-year-old lost his place in England’s one-day XI for the final stages of the World Cup and lost his place during the Ashes, and on the back of a demanding schedule in which he had played successfully and lucratively across all formats for a long period of time, he asked to step away from Test cricket for a while. He was offered and signed a one-day central contract only. He remained unavailable for the Tests in South Africa.

The selectors are uncertain if or when that will change. England play two Tests in Sri Lanka for Word Test Championship points in March, where they won handsomely last time with a policy of playing three spinners, of which Ali was one. Ali’s availability for that tour (less so for South Africa) would be a boon, but he has just been drafted into the Pakistan Super League (PSL) by Multan Sultans, at a top whack of £150,000. The PSL finishes on March 22; the first Test in Galle is March 19.

Ed Smith, the national selector, had this to say at the weekend about Ali’s non-selection for South Africa: “it is disappointing when a player of ability and track record is unavailable, but we have to respect that. He asked at the back end of the summer to take a break from Test cricket. It’s our hope he does return. We just don’t know when that might happen.” And Sri Lanka? “I don’t think it’s ruled out but it’s by no means certain that he will be available.” From Smith’s perspective it is not an ideal situation.

Moeen Ali’s Test trajectory plummeted during the Ashes

The irony of Ali being drafted in the PSL at a level that may well impact upon his availability for England in Sri Lanka will not be lost on those aware who is in charge of the Multan Sultans. The franchise is coached by Andy Flower, England’s former coach, who did not necessarily always see eye to eye with Ashley Giles, and is advised by the statistics guru, Nathan Leamon, who remains England’s one-day analyst and head of innovation and research. They know a good player when they see one.

There is no conflict of interest here from Leamon’s perspective because in order to get a white ball ECB contract, a player must continue to make himself available for Test cricket, unless he gets special dispensation. Although I remain convinced that the separation of “white” and “red” ball contracts is not a good idea, this requirement for white ball contracted players to make themselves available for Test cricket is an important linking clause, preventing flight from a form of the game that is harder on the body and mind.

Playing winter and summer all year round, and having no off-season, means the schedules are arduous for England’s cricketers. The recent northern summer, with World Cup and Ashes following so quickly, and a northern winter that takes in three separate tours, is a reflection on how increased television revenues leads to increased demands for “product”. That will have knock-on effects on players. A number of players in Australia this season have stepped away citing mental health concerns, and administrators here in England are fully aware of the dangers and keen to act preventatively.

Ali felt that he needed a break from the rigours of Test cricket and England felt it was in their (and his) best interests to grant that, as well as allowing them to show loyalty to a player who has given a significant amount. Had they not, Ali could have considered stepping away from Test cricket for good, and potentially England could have lost a key player across all formats to franchised cricket. So, the dispensation was a pragmatic act: there may yet be a way of squeezing a little more juice from the lemon before the pips burst.

This possibility of a cricketer stepping away from any international cricket reflects, of course, on the choices now available.

Time was when money could only be made by playing international cricket which, in turn, gave administrators total negotiating power over players. It was an unequal, master-servant, relationship. That, now, is not the case, although an England contract, at the levels now set, with all the attendant attractive benefits (pension, health care etc) remains highly valuable and sought after.

But there is life outside international cricket. A very useful map of the present franchised leagues came with this month’s Cricketer magazine and I counted 25 T20 leagues outside of the international schedule that are taking place around the world, with six that are discontinued or history. Not all these leagues are known for paying players on time, if at all, but choice is proliferating all the time.

This, then, has a knock-on effect in negotiations between players and their national boards. It demands a more nuanced response from those of us in the media. There was a time when columnists would have fulminated against a player making himself unavailable for national selection, but things change and few things have changed in sport as profoundly as cricket’s landscape these last few years.

Players, now, are constantly balancing key questions of time, family, pressure, money, enjoyment, motivation, mental well-being and loyalty, within a landscape that allows them more choice and negotiating power than ever before.

That shift demands a pragmatic and deft response from administrators - and from columnists, too.

THE TIMES