The All-rounder is an avid advocate for red-ball cricket as he closes in to become the fourth Englishman only to take 200 wicks and scrape 3,000 runs in Tests; moreover, after catching coronavirus, he believes other Muslims should take the COVID-19 vaccine
Last updated: 30/01/21 10:25 am
Moeen Ali England total is aiming for the double of 200 wick and 3,000 Test runs
Moeen Ali says that he has an infinite business in test cricket and that hunger has achieved new targets in India after getting over coronavirus.
The England player slammed the 2-0 win in Sri Lanka after testing positive for COVID-19 at the start of the tour in December, scouring his chances of embarking on a test career stopped when he rested from cricket after being let down during the ash of 2019.
Ali admits that his 14 days in quarantine were “difficult” as he struggled with headaches, a sore body and an unprecedented level of fatigue in his life, but the 33-year-old pulled through enough to five or six. complete net sessions in Sri Lanka.
Now he hopes to challenge fellow spinners Dom Bess and Jack Leach for a place in the first Test against India, which starts on Friday in Chennai.
Moeen played the latest of his 60 trials in August 2019
The prospect of becoming the fourth Englishman only after Sir Ian Botham, Andrew Flintoff and Stuart Broad took 200 Test wickets and inspired 3,000 test runs was a huge boost – with the goal of 19 wickets and 218 runs away.
Ali has also taken shape in Chennai, where four years ago he scored the most recent of his five Test centuries, although his 146 was overtaken by the legendary 759-7 India named as the guests advanced to a 4-0 series victory that sealed victory with innings and 75 runs in the fifth test.
He maintains that he feels ready to play and wants to make a quick impact on this series to convince the selectors that he should stay for the third and fourth trials. – a decision not yet made.
“I don’t have many goals that I want to achieve in the first place, as I’m not too far from 200 wikis,” Ali said.
“I know people say they won’t look at those things but it would be something I like and then I would set another target after that. I’m just going to take line after series. and not giving things voluntarily.
Ali won two centuries during the 2016 Test Test in India in India
“I got to a place where I was going on every time and I was almost too comfortable. It’s a good situation to be in now; so much so that you don’t fight for places with boys, I feel like he ‘s a driver and he’s an inspiration to me. “
He said: “I feel like I still have wickets, runs and games-winning performances in me. Resting 18 months or so ago, during which time I felt like I had still to do good. “
Ali has not played Test cricket since August 2019, when four runs and 2-130 figures in 29 pitches in the first Ashes Test – which Australia won by 251 runs – saw him away from the squad.
He maintains that he has no regrets about pulling out of red ball cricket and that the opportunity to play white ball cricket all over the world in tournaments is the introduction of the Pakistan Super League and the Indian Premier Leauge helped him regain his hunger for the game red ball.
“In the end I lost test cricket and I feel like I could still do well,” he said.
Moeen says he misses playing Test cricket for England
“The only thing I learned, when you play test cricket, is that you are at the top of your game, in terms of your battery and bowling and your approach.
“Just playing whiteball cricket you have a white ball technique but it’s not always good for you if you’re only playing white ball; I think red ball is very important to stay on top of your game.
“I always looked at some of the boys before who were only playing white ball and I felt as soon as they had a competition or two where they didn’t do as well they were pretty good. out of.
“The boys who used to play redball cricket, white ball cricket was always very reasonable and consistent.
“When you play red ball cricket you hit a lot more balls and bowl a lot more; with a T20 cricket as big as it hits four and six, the approach has to you have to be good.
“It doesn’t surprise me that Jos [Buttler] and Stokesy [Ben Stokes] two of the best T20 players are around and they play test cricket – their defense is now very tough and will help you move forward and give you more confidence. When I was playing all forms, I felt like I was definitely better with my white ball. “
Ali has urged his fellow Muslims to take the coronavirus vaccine
For now Ali is limited to familiar quarters, i.e. hotel room, as he and his team-mates from England complete the quarantine period before practice begins for the full squad on Tuesday.
Already through the concerns and physical challenges of being COVID-19 positive, Ali is a candidate on the UK vaccination program at a time when there is concern among some Muslim communities that the vaccine may be prohibited in Islamic Law.
Last week Ali’s Al-Abbas Islamic Center in Balsall Heath in Birmingham native was the first mosque opened as a vaccination center and Ali says other Muslims should take the vaccine.
“At once I would accept it and persuade others to take it too; after talking to a number of guys who have a good knowledge of these things, I would take it and get my family and parents to take it, “he said.
“I know there are a lot of conspiracy theories out there but it’s just how medicine grows. A lot of people have embraced it and it’s been good.
“Especially in our community I think people are always a little bit cautious about these things but for things to get back to normal I think it’s important that we do it.”