The 32-year-old English all-rounder Moeen Ali has decided to take a short break from cricket after facing exclusion from the English Test side.
Read More: India vs South Africa 2019: South Africa Announce T20I And Test Squads
In the last few years, Moeen Ali has grown up as an essential all-rounder for the England cricket team. After making his international debut in February 2014, Ali has played 60 Tests, 101 ODIs and 25 T20Is. The left-handed batsman has scored 2,782 Test runs (average 28.97), 1,766 ODI runs (average 25.59) and 235 T20I runs (average 14.68).
Meanwhile, as an off-spinner, Ali has also taken 181 Test wickets, 84 ODI wickets and 15 T20I wickets.
Read More: Commonwealth Games 2022 Will Include Women’s T20 Cricket
Moeen Ali was one of the members of the England cricket team in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 where England won their first CWC trophy.
However, he is not in good form at present. In the CWC 2019, Ali missed out the late-stage matches, including the entire knockout stages, due to the out of form. Ali played five games in that tournament where he scored 75 runs (average 18.75) and took five wickets.
Later, in the Lord’s Test against Ireland, Ali took one wicket (1/14) and scored a duck and nine runs. In the first Test of Ashes 2019 at Birmingham, Ali once again failed to shine. While he took three wickets with the ball (1/42 & 2/130), he scored only four runs (0 & 4) in that game.
Read More: India vs South Africa 2019: South Africa Announce T20I And Test Squads
Due to his recent struggling performances, the selectors have dropped him from the upcoming Lord’s Test. The left-arm spinner Jack Leach has replaced Ali in the squad for the Lord’s Test that will begin on 14th August.
Moeen Ali is spending a little time away from the middle recharging his batteries and putting in some quality practice time
Now, Moeen Ali has decided to take a short break from cricket before making his fresh return. He will return soon for his County side Worcestershire, but the club hasn’t revealed the time.
Worcestershire coach Alex Gidman said on Tuesday (13th August), “Mo is spending a little time away from the middle recharging his batteries and putting in some quality practice time which he feels he needs, and we completely respect.
“He has had an intense schedule of international cricket involving the ICC World Cup and the start of the Ashes. Mo loves playing for Worcestershire and he gives a lift to everyone in the dressing room when he comes back and plays for us. We saw at Trent Bridge (in the Blast) what he gives to us and we look forward to when he returns soon.”
Before the beginning of the home Test summer, Ali played one T20 match for Worcestershire. Four days after completing the CWC 2019 journey, Ali featured in the Vitality Blast 2019 game against Nottinghamshire at Nottingham. As a captain, Ali provided the match-winning all-round performances in that game. After scoring 32 runs off 25 balls, Ali also managed the bowling figures of 4-0-18-4.