Cricket fans around the world were treated to a heartwarming sight as Moeen Ali, the seasoned all-rounder from Warwickshire, made his long-awaited return to the England Test squad for the Ashes series in 2023. Having last donned the Test whites nearly two years ago, Moeen’s comeback to the red-ball format came as a surprise to many, but it was met with overwhelming excitement and anticipation. Ben Stokes texted Moeen Ali to return to the Ashes as Jack Leach was injured.
Ben Stokes Message to Moeen Ali
England all-rounder Moeen Ali praised Test captain Ben Stokes for convincing him to end his retirement and participate in the upcoming Ashes series, starting on June 16.
Moeen disclosed that Stokes approached him with a brief but powerful message, comprising a single question mark and the word ‘Ashes?‘. This unexpected contact caught Moeen off guard.
“‘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.
When asked by the commentator during an interview post the fifth test match about if he could return to play the India series next year, Moeen Ali gave a hilarious reply. The off spinner said, “If Ben Stokes messages me again for a series, I’ll simply delete it now.”
After the retirement of English spinner Jack Leach due to a stress fracture in his back, England captain Ben Stokes saw an opportunity to summon Moeen Ali back to the red-ball team. The call to play in the Ashes, one of cricket’s most celebrated rivalries, proved irresistible for the 35-year-old all-rounder. Despite having retired from Test cricket in 2021, the allure of the Ashes and the exciting brand of cricket that England had been playing convinced Moeen to reverse his decision and step back onto the international stage.
Moen Ali made a huge impact on the series picking up crucial wickets in the series and scoring some handy runs. In the final test match, he picked up the wicket of Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh and Pat Cummins and also batted at number 3.
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