![](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/newsletter\/sport\/sport-135x135.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Moeen Ali believes former England coach Chris Silverwood will be keen to \u201cprove a point\u201d with his Sri Lanka side in Thursday\u2019s World Cup clash in Bengaluru.<\/p>\n
Silverwood was England\u2019s fast bowling coach they won the tournament in 2019 and expected to be the man in charge of the title defence when he was chosen to succeed Trevor Bayliss in the top job.<\/p>\n
But his reign came to an ignominious end when he was sacked after the 2021\/22 Ashes debacle, with England subsequently opting to split the job between red and white-ball specialists.<\/p>\n
Silverwood made a quick return to international cricket with Sri Lanka and faces his old charges in a game that both nations need to win to maintain any realistic chance of reaching the knockout stages.<\/p>\n
England have already been bested by one of their own in India, with former batter Jonathan Trott guiding Afghanistan to a shock win in Delhi, and are aware of the extra layer of intrigue created by Silverwood\u2019s appearance in the opposition dugout.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sure he\u2019s got that motivation to do well in this game, definitely,\u201d said Moeen.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve only won once, so they\u2019ll want to get on a winning run as well and he\u2019ll be thinking more about that and his own team.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I\u2019m sure deep down, like everybody else, he\u2019ll be trying to prove a point or whatever it is and that will motivate him a little bit more.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a good coach and a nice guy, and I enjoyed (working with) him. But he\u2019s not the one going out to bat and bowl, it\u2019s his team. He\u2019ll be trying to get them ready.\u201d<\/p>\n
I’m sure deep down, like everybody else, he’ll be trying to prove a point<\/p>\n
Moeen is heading into the game with some some additional motivation of his own, having been confined to a watching brief since the opening match of the tournament.<\/p>\n
Despite being the squad\u2019s nominated vice-captain, the 36-year-old was dropped after the nine-wicket thrashing by New Zealand and has now missed three in a row.<\/p>\n
Things have hardly improved in his absence and, after England\u2019s heaviest ever ODI defeat at the hands of South Africa last time out, he is odds-on to return in a city he once called home during his IPL stint with Royal Challengers Bangalore.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been very frustrating, obviously, because you want to play and make some sort of difference,\u201d he said of his stint on the bench.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s difficult when you\u2019re not winning and then when you\u2019re not playing on top of that, it\u2019s hard. I\u2019m hoping to play and get a chance to perform.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s one of those grounds where scoring is quick and batting deep makes a big difference. If I get the nod, then I\u2019m really looking forward to playing. I\u2019ve played franchise cricket here and it\u2019s a great place to play, a great venue. I\u2019m be pretty excited.\u201d<\/p>\n
England radically altered the balance of their side against the Proteas, banishing their core of all-rounders in favour of their top six batters and five specialist bowlers.<\/p>\n
A 229-run thrashing is likely to see that formula banished. Three changes are possible, with Reece Topley having flown home with a broken finger and Gus Atkinson and David Willey both vulnerable. Chris Woakes and Liam Livingstone would be favourites to return alongside Moeen.<\/p>\n
Topley\u2019s injury replacement, Brydon Carse, has arrived in the country and trained for the first time on Wednesday afternoon.<\/p>\n