Moeen Ali, in contrast to Trevor Bayliss’ comments, says that stump mic is important

England all-rounder Moeen Ali believes that turning up the stump microphones could reduce sledging in cricket. He has opined this in the wake of West Indies fast bowler Shannon Gabriel being banned for four one-day internationals after he was found guilty of ‘personal abuse’ at England skipper Joe Root in the St Lucia Test.

Only a few days ago, Pakistan captain and wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed also received a four-match ban after stump microphones recorded his on-field rant at South Africa all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo during a one-dayer in Durban.

Earlier, England coach Trevor Bayliss had said that stump mics should not be used because in the game of cricket a lot of things are said in the heat of the moment which is natural and difficult to eradicate. Instead, those things should not be recorded in the first place. Ali, however, differs in his views with the coach and said that mic should be put on and cricketers should behave themselves.

“It’s time for people to behave themselves,” Moeen said as quoted by HT before flying to West Indies for the five-match ODI series beginning at Bridgetown on Wednesday. “Turn the stump mics up. Why turn them down? So people can swear? There is no reason to get personal. It’s the way society is: things come out of people’s mouths. You’re not going to get away with it now. You have to be careful.”

When Moeen was sledged in the Ashes series

Moeen had revealed in his autobiography that someone from the Australian team sledged him by addressing him as ‘Osama’ during the 2015 Ashes series. There is no recording of that because stump mics were absent from the game.

“Imagine all the legendary old stories, if we had them recorded,” Moeen said. “We can do the same now. It doesn’t have to be swearing. Keep it funny. We want people to be attracted to the game. There are brilliant ways to sledge.”

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