Former England cricketer and Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) all-rounder Moeen Ali shared his views on the ongoing debate of several senior players extending their career and how late is it too late to retire from cricket as India obsesses over the future of their ageing stars. 

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Speaking to Indian Express, the KKR all-rounder spoke about why he stepped away from international cricket. He said, “If England was a franchise, I’d still be playing." He added that he could have continued playing if it was a club or a franchise, but when it comes to playing for your country, it’s a different game.  

This got many thinking — should some of our big Indian stars also think the same way?

Let’s be real - people have their icons. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, they are not just players, they are emotions. Fans have grown up watching them, cheering for them, defending them on social media after their every failure. But even the biggest fans have noticed the dip in form lately, especially Rohit. His recent struggles to find rhythm in the ongoing IPL haven’t really shown his HITMAN mode.

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Moeen’s point is simple. Just because you are a big name or have a huge fan base, doesn’t mean you hold on to the spot forever. 

'It is 'selfish' to continue for sake of personal goals'

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Playing for the country means you have to ask yourself tough questions. Are you still contributing? Are there younger players doing better than you? If yes, maybe it’s time to step aside. Not because you aren’t great anymore, but because the team needs to move forward.  

He even called it 'selfish' to continue just for the sake of personal goals or reputation. We, as fans, always want our team to win. And for that, sometimes, even our favourites might have to take a backseat. Moeen’s words may hurt, but maybe it’s the kind of honesty that Indian cricket needs right now.

"I definitely think you shouldn't just hold on because you're a big name or you have a massive following. And it should never be your own personal goals," he signed off.

(With inputs from agencies)