Cricket News

Star Chennai player to make a comeback to Test cricket?

New Zealand are currently playing a three-match Test series in England. While the Ben Stokes-led side won the first Test, the Kiwis have the upper hand in the ongoing second Test for now. Meanwhile, there have been a lot of discussions pertaining to Moeen Ali.

Ali has talked about his desire to make a comeback in the longest format of the game. He spoke about the possibility of coming out of retirement to play in Pakistan during the Test series, which is supposed to be played later in the last part of this year.

The 34-year-old retired from red-ball cricket in September last year. At the time of his retirement, Moeen played 64 Tests for England in which he scored 2,914 runs with the bat and scalped 195 wickets with the ball.

After he retired from Test cricket, Moeen completely concentrated on limited-overs cricket to confirm his place in the English playing XI for the 20-20 world cup which is to be played in Australia in the last part of this year.

Recently, the Birmingham-based all-rounder has expressed his desire to make a comeback in Test cricket and also said that he will be ready and available for the team if new head coach Brendon McCullum requires him for the Pakistan tour.

“When, or if, (England head coach) Baz McCullum wants me, I’ll play in Pakistan. I have played Pakistan Super League out there a few years ago, but it’s not the same, to travel with an England side there and have a family background from that part of the world will be amazing. I know the support and love you can get out there, they love cricket. It’s very appealing for sure,” Mooen was quoted as saying in BBC’s Test match special.

“He’s (McCullum) a very difficult person to say no to and I found that very, very hard. He’s very convincing. To be honest, I’d love to play under him and Stokesy. Both of them have that character about them. They’re very aggressive. I think I would suit their cricket a bit more and I think they feel I would suit them as well,” He added later.

England are going for the Pakistan tour later this year after 17 years. The team will play a T20I series and a Test series against Babar Azam’s men.