MOEEN Ali’s fitness will be high on the agenda when the England cricket selectors meet to finalise the squad for the three-Test series against the West Indies in the Caribbean next month which is due to be announced later today.

The Worcestershire all-rounder suffered a grade one abdominal tear in his left side while bowling his off-spinners during the pivotal World Cup group match against Bangladersh in Adelaide which sealed England’s fate.

Moeen later came out to bat in his normal opening role but missed the dead rubber final match against Afghanistan because of the injury after scans revealed the extent of the setback.

The 27-year-old is being assessed again on his return to England before the squad is finalised and then publicly announced.

Moeen has become an integral part of England’s Test side since making his debut in the longer format of the game in the two match series with Sri Lanka in the early part of last summer.

He only picked up three wickets in those games but scored his maiden Test century in almost saving the game at Headingley on the final day.

It was with the ball that he made the biggest impact against India with 19 wickets in five Tests including a match-winning 6-63 at the Ageas Bowl.

He has helped England to fill the void left by Graeme Swann’s retirement mid-way through last winter’s Ashes Series Down Under.

The Test selection panel of James Whitaker, Angus Fraser, Mick Newell and head coach Peter Moores have to decide whether to select a less than 100 per cent fit Moeen or enable him to regain full fitness for the home series with New Zealand and then the Ashes return against the Australians lter in the season.

Moeen had played in 19 successive one-day internationals for Englandbefore missing the Afghanistan encounter.