The Ashes: Moeen Ali comes out of Test retirement to bolster Stokes' England setup
Moeen Ali last played a Test match on September 2, 2021, against India.
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England all-rounder Moeen Ali has considered returning to the longest format of the game for the upcoming Ashes series that is scheduled to be played on English soil. Ali has also been drafted to the Test squad for the first two Test matches against Australia, starting from June 16 at Edgbaston.
The 35-year-old has been included in the Test squad in place of Jack Leach, who sustained a lower back stress fracture in the One-off Test match against Ireland, eventually ruling him out for the entire Ashes series. Considering the fact that Ali did announce his retirement from Test match cricket in 2021, it is certainly good news for his fans across the globe.
The squash buckling all-rounder also marked his comeback into the English whites via an Instagram post which was later on also confirmed by England Cricket through their Official Twitter handle, who wrote, “He's back! Welcome back, Mo!”
Given that England will be looking to regain the Ashes, which they lost to Australia in 2021-22, Ali's inclusion into the squad can be a major boost to their chances. The veteran England all-rounder has certainly been an asset for the England team in the home condition as the sublime all-rounder has registered astonishing numbers in the 64 matches that he has played for his national side in whites. The premier all-rounder is perhaps best suited with his aggressive attitude in batting and lethal spin bowling.
Earlier, Rob Key, the managing director of England men's cricket, stated that they had approached the star all-rounder earlier in the week and that Moeen is thrilled to make a comeback to Test cricket after giving it some time to sink in. Key also thinks that Ali’s extensive knowledge and all-around abilities will be helpful for England's Ashes campaign.
With 64 Test matches under his belt, Moeen will bring invaluable experience to the team. The prolific all-rounder has scored 2914 runs and taken 195 wickets in Test matches. The England team will be assembling in Birmingham on June 12 and then begin their practice at Edgbaston on June 13 for the series.
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