Moeen Ali, the talented all-rounder, revealed that it was only England’s charismatic captain, Ben Stokes, who could persuade him to come out of Test retirement for the upcoming Ashes series against Australia.
Stokes reached out to Moeen with a simple yet impactful message, a question mark followed by the word ‘Ashes?’ This unexpected communication from his fellow player caught Moeen off guard.
“Stokesy messaged me with a question mark — ‘Ashes?'” Moeen disclosed during a press interaction at Edgbaston on Tuesday.
Initially, Moeen thought Stokes was joking and was unaware of the news regarding Jack Leach’s injury. However, once he learned of 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,” Moeen explained. “That was it. It’s the Ashes. To be part of it would be amazing.”
Having last played Test cricket in September 2021, Moeen’s decision to return was heavily influenced by his growing rapport with Stokes. The duo had spent time together as teammates at the CSK during this year’s Indian Premier League. Moeen acknowledged the significance of Stokes’ role in his comeback, stating, “Probably not, no,” when asked if any other captain could have convinced him to reconsider retirement.
With 64 Test appearances for England, Moeen has showcased his prowess as both a destructive batsman and a skilled off-spinner.
