The Ashes 2023: Moeen Ali says Ben Stokes is the only captain he would have returned for
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The Ashes 2023: Moeen Ali on what Ben Stokes messaged to get him to return to England
Men's Ashes 2023 - first Test |
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Venue: Edgbaston Dates: 16-20 June |
Coverage: Live text commentary and in-play video clips on the BBC Sport website & app, plus BBC Test Match Special on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra. Daily Today at the Test highlights on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer from 19:00 BST. |
Moeen Ali says he would not have come out of Test retirement to play in the Ashes for any other England captain than Ben Stokes.
Moeen answered England's call after Jack Leach was ruled out of the series against Australia with a back injury.
Stokes' pioneering style of captaincy has led England to 11 wins from their past 13 Tests.
"To be part of it is amazing. It's such a big series and the guys have been playing exciting cricket," said Moeen.
A stress fracture in Leach's back was revealed after England's comprehensive win against Ireland at Lord's earlier this month.
Off-spinner Moeen, who retired from Test cricket in September 2021, was contacted by Stokes before he heard about Leach's injury.
"Stokesy messaged me with a question mark - 'Ashes?'," said Moeen. "I just said 'LOL', thinking he was taking the mick.
"The news came through and I had a chat with him. That was it."
Moeen and Stokes were team-mates with Chennai Super Kings at the Indian Premier League in April and May.
Ben Stokes describes Ashes team-mates in one word
"I've obviously spent a lot of time with Stokesy during the IPL," said Warwickshire's Moeen.
"He didn't mention anything about coming out of retirement, it was just about the Ashes and how he was looking to take the team. He obviously watched me train out there and thinks I can bowl decently."
Moeen, who has taken 195 wickets and scored 2,914 runs in 64 Tests, is in line to go straight into the England team for the Ashes opener against Australia at Edgbaston on Friday. He will turn 36 on the third day of the match.
Naturally aggressive with both bat and ball, Moeen is likely to be well-suited to the attacking style of cricket championed by Stokes and England coach Brendon McCullum.
Asked whether he would have come out of retirement for any other captain, Moeen said: "Probably not, no.
"It is a free hit. I'm not playing for my spot. There's no pressure, really.
"I spoke to Baz [McCullum] and he said he's not bothered about how I perform, which is quite nice.
"As an individual, I want to do well and contribute to winning games. All the things I ever wanted to do in Test cricket I'm going to try to do in these games. It could be dangerous, it could be not so dangerous. We'll see."
As the only frontline spinner, Moeen will play a key role in the England attack, particularly as all-rounder Stokes has been managing a long-term left knee problem.
Stokes, 32, bowled only one over at the IPL and not at all against Ireland, but released a video of himself bowling in practice in Scotland last week.
He bowled again on the square at Edgbaston on Tuesday, albeit with his knee heavily strapped. Stokes bowled around 12 balls, some off his full run-up.
Moeen to miss training to collect OBE
Moeen, who revealed his wife has reservations about his decision to return, and that he has had to cancel a family holiday in order to play in the Ashes, will miss training on Wednesday to collect his OBE.
He will attend a ceremony at Windsor Castle, along with his wife, mother and father, after being honoured for services to cricket last year.
"I've been trying to book it for a while," he said. "I spoke to Baz and he said it's fine.
"I've bought a three-piece suit. It's going to be boiling."
Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali last played together for England in the T20 World Cup final in November
Though England have only named a squad for the first two Tests, he is available for the whole series but is unlikely to extend his comeback to the tour of India in the new year.
Moeen was an Ashes winner in 2015, but has a poor career record against the Australians, averaging almost 65 with the ball.
In his last Ashes series, on home soil in 2019, he was dropped after the first Test at the same Edgbaston ground where he will make his return.
"It's a bit of a fresh start," he said. "I get over those things pretty quickly. I've forgotten about those things and moved on."
Moeen also said he "100%" expects to be targeted by the Australian batters.
"If I was them I'd do the same," he said. "Any spinner that came in would have been attacked. I'm not expecting them to defend me.
"I'm expecting them to come after me, which could be dangerous because Stokesy likes having the fielders up. It could go for a lot of runs."