England all-rounder Moeen Ali, who announced his retirement from test cricket in September 2021, has been named in the Ashes squad for the first two tests.
England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed the same on Wednesday. This decision of Moeen’s return comes after spinner Jack Leach was ruled out of the series due to an injury.
The 35-year-old Moeen Ali had initially stepped away from the longer format of the game to focus on limited-overs cricket. However, following discussions with test captain Ben Stokes, coach Brendon McCullum, and ECB men’s managing director Rob Key, he decided to reverse his retirement and make himself available for test cricket once again.
Moeen made his test debut back in 2014 and played his last test against India at the Oval in September 2021. Throughout his test career, he accumulated 2,914 runs in 64 matches at an average of 28.29, while also showcasing his prowess as an off-spin bowler by claiming 195 wickets.
Moeen Ali Ready to Conquer Australia’s Challenge
The upcoming Ashes series against Australia presents a fresh challenge for Moeen, as he aims to improve his performance against England’s arch-rivals. In the 11 Tests he has played against Australia, Moeen has scored 476 runs at an average of 25.05, including two half-centuries. With the ball, he has an impressive average of 64.65, having taken 20 wickets against the Australian team.
As Moeen prepares to make his return to red-ball cricket, he and the England team will be eager to make an impact in the Ashes series. His first appearance in a test match since September 2021 is expected to take place at Edgbaston on June 16.
The challenge of facing Australia in the five-day format with the red ball will undoubtedly test Moeen’s skills, and fans will be keen to see how he rises to the occasion.
Moeen Ali is excited to join the squad
Rob Key, the managing director of the England men’s team, expressed his thoughts on the decision, stating:
“We reached out to Mo (Moeen Ali) early this week about returning to Test cricket,” Key revealed in a statement to the ECB website.
“Having had a couple of days to reflect, Mo is excited to join the squad and play Test cricket again. His vast experience, along with his all-round ability, will benefit our Ashes campaign. We wish Mo and the rest of the squad well for the Ashes campaign.”
Updated England squad for the first two Ashes Tests
Ben Stokes (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.
