Moeen Ali admits there is only one captain and one series that would have tempted him to overturn his Test retirement.
Moeen won the last of his 64 England caps almost two years ago and was content with his decision to step away from a format that has exacted a physical and psychological toll on him over the years.
The 35-year-old even rejected a no-strings attached offer to tour Pakistan in December, concluding that he did not have the required motivation to commit to one more leg of a lengthy winter on the road.
But things all changed when England’s first-choice spinner Jack Leach was unexpectedly ruled out for the summer. England skipper Ben Stokes, who spent the best part of two months with Moeen during their time together at Chennai Super Kings in this year’s Indian Premier League, set the wheels in motion for a comeback and little more than a week later Moeen was sitting in his new England whites taking questions at his home ground of Edgbaston.
Asked if there was any other captain he would have returned for, he said: “Probably not, no.
“I’ve obviously spent a lot of time with Stokesy in India…he didn’t mention anything about coming out of retirement, it was just about the Ashes and how he was looking to take the team. But he obviously watched me train out there and thinks I can bowl decently.”
As for his motivation for one last crack at an Australia side who have provided him with some of the most challenging moments in international cricket, Moeen was more keen to focus on the draw of being back involved in one of his sport’s marquee rivalries.
“It’s such a big series…it’s the Ashes, to be part of it would be amazing. It is a free hit. I’m not playing for my spot. There’s no pressure, really. All the things I ever wanted to do in Test cricket I’m going to try to do in these games.”
The pros and cons of the Moeen call-up are clear. On the positive side, none of England’s other slow bowling options such as Will Jacks, Liam Dawson or Rehan Ahmed, come close to his experience or tally of 195 Test wickets.
Yet there are those who see his long absence from red-ball cricket as a potential red flag and who would rather see a promotion for someone currently active in the County Championship.
“It’s a difficult one for me because I never picked myself. I just got the call,” he said.
“Obviously there are players out there that are playing and doing alright, but I think they (England) know me quite well and it’s not just having the character and the person in the changing room that you want. The results do matter, the process, the matches. I’ve got to perform and make some important impacts in the game.”
Moeen offered a remarkably honest assessment of his own style, openly accepting his limitations as a containing bowler and welcoming the freedom he is likely to be given to focus on attack.
“I’ve never been able to hold an end up,” he said. “When I have it’s because I’ve been taking wickets. That’s the only time I’ve been able to build any pressure. Ben and Baz know that.
“I’m sure they know what they are going to get from me – there won’t be a lot of maidens.
“I’d expect them to attack me, 100 per cent, if I was them I’d do the same. I’m not expecting them to defend me and things like that. I’m expecting them to come after me, which could be dangerous because Stokesy likes having the fielders up. It could go for a lot of runs. We’ll see.”
Knight Riders dispatch Super Giants to move top of IPL
Kolkata Knight Riders moved to the top of the Indian Premier League courtesy of a 98-run victory over Lucknow Super Giants.
Sunil Narine hit a sensational 81 from 39 balls, and he was ably supported by Ramandeep Singh's 25 from six deliveries, as KKR reeled off a third straight win on Sunday.
Ramandeep enjoyed a great day in the field too, as he took one of the catches of the season as LSG managed just 137 in response to KKR's 235.
Phil Salt struck 32, but it was fellow opener Narine who did the damage for KKR.
Ravi Bishnoi eventually ended his stand, but only when KKR had reached 140. Angkrish Raghuvanshi (32) had to be substituted out, but Shreyas Iyer added a useful 23 before Ramandeep hammered 25 from just an overs' worth of deliveries.
KL Rahul (25) and Marcus Stoinis (36) tried to get Lucknow going either side of Ramandeep's spectacular catch to dismiss Arshin Kulkarni, but the Super Giants never set the pace to truly trouble Kolkata.
Sunil Narine's plunders 81 to propel Kolkata Knight Riders to emphatic victory over Pooran's Lucknow Super Giants
In a sensational display of power hitting, Sunil Narine spearheaded Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to a commanding victory over Nicholas Pooran's Lucknow Super Giants and a place atop of the IPL table with a stunning knock of 81 runs off just 39 deliveries.
Alongside Narine, contributions from Ramandeep Singh (25 off 6 balls), Phil Salt (32), Angkrish Raghuvanshi (32), and Shreyas Iyer ensured that KKR posted an imposing total of 235 for 6 in their allotted 20 overs.
The match, held at one of the lower-scoring venues in IPL 2024, set the stage for a challenging run chase for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Despite a 50-run partnership between KL Rahul and Marcus Stoinis, LSG struggled to accelerate the scoring rate, ultimately succumbing to the pressure imposed by KKR's bowlers.
Andre Russell emerged as a pivotal figure in the match, not only with his powerful batting but also with his crucial contributions with the ball. Russell's bowling spell saw him claim the crucial wickets of Marcus Stoinis and Nicholas Pooran, swinging the match heavily in KKR's favor.
As LSG's innings faltered, the required run rate soared out of control, with the last nine wickets falling for just 67 runs. Varun Chakravarthy and Harshit Rana were instrumental in dismantling LSG's batting lineup, each claiming three wickets.
Narine's explosive batting display in the initial overs set the tone for KKR's commanding total. After Salt's aggressive start, Narine took centre stage, unleashing a barrage of boundaries and sixes. His innings featured a total of seven sixes and six fours, demonstrating his ability to accelerate the scoring rate at will.
Despite eventually being dismissed while attempting another big hit, Narine's contribution laid the foundation for KKR's comprehensive victory. The match also witnessed standout performances from Ramandeep Singh, whose quick-fire innings added crucial runs to KKR's total, putting LSG under immense pressure.
With this convincing win, Kolkata Knight Riders continue to demonstrate their formidable form in IPL 2024, buoyed by standout performances from key players like Sunil Narine and Andre Russell, signaling their intent as serious contenders in the tournament.
IPL: Jadeja stars as CSK move into playoff places
Chennai Super Kings moved into the Indian Premier League playoff places after beating Punjab Kings by 28 runs in Dharamshala.
The reigning champions avenged their seven-wicket defeat by the Kings in Chennai four days earlier to climb to third place in the table with three games remaining.
After a slow start, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Daryl Mitchell's partnership brought 57 runs and settled CSK into their stride. Although MS Dhoni went for a duck, Ravindra Jadeja's late surge of 43 from 26 balls saw them close at 167-9.
Tushar Deshpande claimed Jonny Bairstow and Rilee Rossouw in the second over to stem the Kings' early momentum, while Jadeja (3-20) also took a quickfire double of Sam Curran and Ashutosh Sharma in the 13th over as the hosts finished well short of their target at 139-9.
Data debrief
In getting back to winning ways, CSK ended their five-game losing streak against the Kings, stretching back to 2021.
Despite going for a duck, Dhoni managed to make amends in the field. When he caught out Jitesh Sharma, he became the first player in IPL history to take 150 catches.
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