England approach 'Test-retired' Moeen Ali to replace Jack Leach in Ashes squad
Moeen Ali
England all-rounder Moeen Ali has been approached to come out of retirement after Jack Leach being ruled out of the upcoming Ashes series. The off-spinner/batsman had retired from the red-ball cricket at the end of the summer in 2021.
Moeen confirmed being approached by the England management to ESPNCricinfo after Leach was ruled out due to a back stress fracture. Before he quit wearing whites, Ali, 35, had played 67 Tests, scoring 2914 runs and taking 195 wickets.
This is, however,not the first time Ali has been approached to make a comeback in Tests. England coach Brendon McCullum had spoken to the all-rounder last summer as well with Pakistan tour in mind but Ali had turned it down, citing T20 World Cup and another commitments.
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Notably, Moeen had retired from the Test cricket in order to perform at his best in the limited-overs cricket. Moeen has definitely stayed true to his words as he helped England win the last T20 World Cup and most recently won an IPL trophy with the Chennai Super Kings.
Speaking to ESPNCricinfo while in India playing the IPL, Moeen had said that he is getting back to his best self and that he's getting his rhythm back.
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"I actually feel like there's things I've been missing over the last couple of years," he had said. "I've just started to get it back again: a bit of rhythm in my action.
"When I was playing Test matches, I always felt like I was bowling well in white-ball cricket. You can kind of lose that rhythm, I guess. I think I've got to have that mindset of still bowling with that same energy as I would have done in Test matches," Moeen had added.
England fast bowler Stuart Broad is also upbeat about Moeen's potential return to England Test team and said that he would fit easily into Bazball philosophy.
"We know Mo is a phenomenal cricketer and someone who would fit into Stokes and Baz's philosophy beautifully," Broad said to Sky Sports. "I don't know if he's being considered by the selectors or if he would consider red-ball cricket again. But he's a mighty fine cricketer," he added.
