Moeen Ali, Rashid Ali predict next Big Four of cricket, two India stars including Shubman Gill make the cut

Former England's star all-rounder Moeen Ali and ace spinner Adil Rashid have shared their prediction for the next generation of top players, identifying who they believe will form the 'next big four' in world cricket. Both the spin-bowling all-rounder and the premier white-ball spinner concurred on three names: England's white-ball captain Harry Brook, India's Test captain Shubman Gill, and Indian opening batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal. However, they differed on the fourth selection, with Moeen nominating New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra, while Rashid backed fellow Englishman Jacob Bethell.

Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid pick next Big Four of cricket

The players on whom they agreed have already established impressive international careers. Since his debut in January 2022, Harry Brook has become a mainstay for England, accumulating 2820 runs in 30 Tests, 947 in 29 ODIs, and 873 in 47 T20Is. Similarly, Shubman Gill has cemented his place in the Indian setup, boasting 2647 runs in 37 Test matches, 2775 runs in 55 ODIs, and 578 runs across 21 T20Is.

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Yashasvi Jaiswal, the third consensus pick, has also made a significant impact, particularly in the longest format of the game. The young opener has amassed a remarkable 2209 runs in just 24 Test matches. In addition, he has scored 723 runs in 23 T20Is, though he has only played a single ODI to date.

“Brook, Gill, Jaiswal… I would Bethell. In the next five or six years he will be there," Rashid said on the Beard Before Wicket podcast.

“A lot of people know that he (Bethell) has not scored a 100 in any professional cricket, but it’s the way he bats. His issue is going to be actually a bit of injuries. He gets injured a lot. He is a very naturally talented, gifted player. He has got good power. I like his technique. So three (Brook, Gill, and Jaiswal) are there, and I am going to go with Ravindra, and I am going to go with Bethell at 5," Moeen said.

Rising English cricketer Bethell, at just 21 years old, has already made a significant impact on the international stage. In his short career, he's played four Tests, 12 One-Day Internationals (ODIs), and 13 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) for England. A versatile all-rounder, the left-handed batsman has amassed a total of 271 runs in Tests, 317 in ODIs, and 281 in T20Is. He's also a valuable asset with the ball, having taken 14 wickets across all three formats. Looking ahead, Bethell will lead the English side as captain in an upcoming three-match T20I series against Ireland.

Meanwhile, Rachin, a key player for New Zealand, boasts an impressive record across all formats. He's represented the Kiwis in 17 Tests, 33 ODIs, and 30 T20Is, accumulating 1224 runs in Tests, 1233 in ODIs, and 452 in T20Is. Rachin's recent form has been exceptional, most notably during the 2023 ODI World Cup where he scored over 500 runs. His performance was crucial in helping the Kane Williamson-led side secure a memorable 3-0 Test series victory in India.