"He was the big difference" - Moeen Ali picks England star as his 'Player of the Series' after ENG vs IND 2025 Tests

Former all-rounder Moeen Ali named England captain Ben Stokes as his 'Player of the Series' after the recently concluded Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025. The series ended in a 2-2 draw as India beat the hosts in the fifth and final Test at The Oval.

Ben Stokes missed the fifth Test due to a shoulder injury. Moeen Ali reckoned that Stokes made a big difference with his all-round performances. He added that the all-rounder's absence was a huge miss for England at The Oval, where they lost by six runs.

"Ben Stokes. I think he was the big difference. Generally, his all-round performance was unbelievable. He showed his true abilities. He was England's best bowler for the first three games. I think he was a big miss in the last game. His runs, his wickets, proper all-round stuff," he said on the 'Beard Before Wicket' podcast. (32:47)

Stokes scored 304 runs at an average of 43.42 and picked up 17 wickets from four matches.

In the same episode, England spinner Adil Rashid picked Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj as his 'Player of the Series' if not for Stokes. He praised the pacer for his performances, particularly in the final Test. Siraj played all five matches and was consistent, which impressed Rashid.

"If I didn't have to go for Stokes, I would go for a bowler. I would go for Siraj. It's easy going to Gill because he got the most runs but giving it to a bowler like Siraj who got a fifer for you in the game, he never missed, played every game, not resting, nothing," he said.

"And every game, his bowling was just like he's fresh. He's running, steaming in. So I would give it to Siraj," he added.

He bagged nine wickets at The Oval, including a fifer, and ended as the leading wicket-taker overall with 23 scalps at an average of 32.43.

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Moeen Ali picks Siraj's scalp of Gus Atkinson as the 'best wicket of the series'

On Day 5 of the fifth Test, Mohammed Siraj picked up the final wicket and dismissed Gus Atkinson with a brilliant yorker to finish the game for India. Moeen Ali chose this wicket as his best one from the series.

"Siraj against Gus Atkinson, the last one. Just because it was a top ball, great ball, and I think with everything that's happened in the whole series, under pressure, after stepping over the rope there, it was a fitting finish for him," he said. (29:27)

As for his best moment of the series, Moeen Ali picked England spinner Shoaib Bashir dismissing Siraj at Lord's. India needed 23 more runs to win with Ravindra Jadeja and Siraj at the crease. The pacer chopped the ball back onto the stumps off Bashir's bowling for the final wicket as England won the game by a close margin.

The former all-rounder picked another moment, which was the partnership between Jadeja and Washington Sundar in the fourth Test. The duo stitched together an unbeaten 203-run stand for the fifth wicket and helped India draw the match. Both batters scored unbeaten hundreds. Moeen Ali reckoned it allowed the visitors to come to The Oval 1-2 and gave them a chance to draw the series, which they eventually did.