Moeen Ali reverses retirement decision, joins England's squad for upcoming Ashes series
In a surprising turn of events, Moeen Ali has decided to end his retirement and join England's lineup for the upcoming Ashes series, set to commence on June 16. The pivotal factor behind Moeen's decision was the persuasive approach of England Test captain Ben Stokes. Moeen expressed his astonishment at receiving an unexpected message from Stokes, simply consisting of a question mark followed by the word 'Ashes?' during a press conference.
"'Stokesy' messaged me with a question mark, 'Ashes?', and I hadn't heard of Leachy('s injury) at the time, and I just went 'lol', thinking he's taking the mickey," Moeen said in a press conference.
However, after learning about Jack Leach's unavailability, Moeen had a conversation with Stokes to discuss the possibility.
"Then the news came through and I had a chat with him (Stokes)," Moeen explained. "That was it. It's the Ashes. To be part of it would be amazing."
The strong bond between Moeen and Stokes, fostered during their time as teammates at the Chennai Super Kings in this year's Indian Premier League, played a significant role in Moeen's decision to make a comeback to Test cricket. Moeen expressed gratitude towards Stokes, emphasising that no other captain could have persuaded him to reconsider retirement.
Having represented England in 64 Test matches, Moeen has demonstrated his versatility as a formidable batsman and a skilled off-spinner. However, he has faced challenges during the Ashes contests against Australia, as evidenced by his bowling average soaring from 36.66 to 64.65 in those matches.
Moeen is enthusiastic about the opportunity to be part of the Ashes series and contribute to England's pursuit of their first Ashes triumph since 2015. He also praised the impact of Stokes on the team's performance, highlighting the freedom and confidence he brings to their approach.
"The fact that it is the Ashes and it is such a big series, to be part of it would be amazing," Moeen said.
Under the guidance of Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, England has won 11 out of their 13 Tests and will look to continue with the winning momentum in this series as well.
