- Tuesday, February 25, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
ENGLAND all-rounder Moeen Ali on Monday (27) announced retirement from Test cricket. The 34-year-old made his debut in red-ball cricket against Sri Lanka at Lord’s in 2014 and went on to represent the Three Lions 64 times. He was recently recalled in the England side in the home series against India after a gap of six months. His February appearance in a Test in India came after a gap of 18 months.
Southpaw Ali scored 2,914 runs in Tests at an average of 28.29 with five hundreds, the highest being 155 not out which he scored against Sri Lanka at home in 2016. His last hundred in Test cricket came against India in Chennai in December 2016.
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Ali, who bowls right-arm off-break, picked 195 wickets at an average of 36.66 with the best of six for 53 which he took against South Africa, also at home, in 2017. He picked his only 10 Test-wicket haul in that game. Ali has a total of five five-wicket hauls.
Discussing his decision, Ali in an official release said: “I’m 34 now and I want to play for as long as I can and I just want to enjoy my cricket. Test cricket is amazing, when you’re having a good day it’s better than any other format by far, it’s more rewarding and you feel like you’ve really earnt it.”
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“I will miss just walking out there with the lads, playing against best in the world with that feeling of nerves but also from a bowling point of view, knowing with my best ball I could get anyone out. I’ve enjoyed Test Cricket but that intensity can be too much sometimes and I feel like I’ve done enough of it and I’m happy and content with how I’ve done,” Ali, who is Birmingham-born of Pakistani descent and a member of the World Cup-winning England side in 2019, said.
Ali said he hoped that his Test career will inspire and open the door for other British Muslims to play for England.
“It always takes somebody to inspire you or takes somebody to think if he can do it I can and I hope there are a few people out there who are thinking that,” he said.
“I know he wasn’t English but someone like Hashim Amla, when I first saw him, I thought if he can do it I can do it, it does take that little spark. I’d love one day in 8-10 years’ time to say Moeen made it easier for me. There have been guys before me who made it easier, so you hope to open the door for someone else,” Ali, who is currently playing for Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League in the United Arab Emirates, said.
Ali thanked his coaches, captains and all of his family for their support during his Test career.
Ali said: “I have to thank Peter Moores and Chris Silverwood for being my coaches and Peter for giving me my debut. Cookie and Rooty as the captains who I’ve enjoyed playing under and I hope they are happy with how I played.”
Ali is a member of the England squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup in the UAE and Oman.
