Former England all-rounder Moeen Ali has heaped praise on Gujarat Titans head coach Ashish Nehra, calling the former India pacer the “best cricketing brain” he has ever worked with. Having played under some of the finest captains and coaches in world cricket, Moeen said his experience alongside Nehra at Royal Challengers Bengaluru during the 2018 and 2019 IPL seasons convinced him of the Indian’s exceptional tactical acumen.

Ashish Nehra’s coaching career has been nothing short of remarkable. Although his first assignment as RCB’s bowling coach did not produce the desired results, largely because of the team’s struggles, he found immense success after joining Gujarat Titans in 2022. Nehra guided the franchise to the IPL title in its debut season, becoming the first Indian head coach to achieve the feat. Since then, Gujarat Titans have established themselves as one of the league’s most consistent teams, missing the playoffs only once in five seasons.

Speaking on the Beard Before Wicket podcast, Moeen explained what defines a true cricketing mastermind. “For me, a cricketing brain is somebody who knows almost every situation of the game,” Moeen Ali said. “Someone who’s got an answer—or a theory—for every situation. They talk about all aspects of the game, why a player is good or not good, what should happen in a particular situation, and what could happen.”

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According to Moeen, having a well-thought-out process is more important than whether every idea succeeds.

“But he’s got something,” he said. “And behind that something, there’s either data or evidence. It’s happened before, and this is why it can happen again.”

Moeen Ali picks Ashish Nehra over MS Dhoni as the ultimate “cricket brain”! 🧠🏏

• Bold statement! Moeen Ali has named former India pacer Ashish Nehra as having the best tactical mind in cricket, placing him ahead of MS Dhoni! 💬🇮🇳

• Having worked with Nehra during his time… pic.twitter.com/2BzUsEstU8

— Cricket Hub (@Anurag9793) August 2, 2026

Moeen then named Ashish Nehra as the finest cricketing mind he has encountered during his career.

“So the name I am going to give is Ashish Nehra,” he stated. “He is the coach of Gujarat Titans. I had him at RCB for a couple of years. When it comes to cricket brain, this guy knows what he’s talking about.”

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Moeen ALi concluded by highlighting Nehra’s outstanding leadership qualities. “He knows how to build a team environment, deal with players and coaches, and bring everyone together. Amazing, amazing cricket brain.”