He’ll Be A Huge Loss for England team: Joe Root Pays Tribute To Moeen Ali Who Retired From Tests
Published - 28 Sep 2021, 12:00 AM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:56 AM
England all-rounder Moeen Ali announced his immediate retirement from Test cricket on September 27, 2021, and tributes poured in from all over the cricket world, especially from the England cricket fraternity, which included England Test captain Joe Root, who called him a big loss for the England team.
Moeen, a left-handed batter and more than able off-spin bowler played 64 Test matches for England after making his debut in 2014. He made 2914 runs with 5 centuries at an average of 28.29 and the highest score of 155*. With the ball, Ali picked 195 wickets at an average of 36.66 including the best bowling of 6/53. He also picked a Test hat-trick against South Africa at The Oval in London in 2017.
Joe Root paid rich tribute to Moeen Ali and said: “Mo’s career speaks for itself and what he has achieved. He’s done some wonderful things in Test cricket and he’s been one of the great guys to play alongside. He’ll be a huge loss. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed sharing that dressing room with him and we’ve had so many wonderful memories, on the field and off the field. At times, he has been under-appreciated, not within the dressing room but outside of that.”
He Leaves A Legacy: Joe Root Congratulates Moeen Ali On A Brilliant Test Career For England
Moeen Ali’s turbulent times in Test cricket started in 2017-18 Ashes and he was then dropped from the Test team after a poor display in the 2019 series opener. Ali then took a break from Test cricket, while continuing to play white-ball matches for England.
He was recently seen in action against India, first in India where he picked 8 wickets in his only outing in Chennai. He was then rested as part of a rotation policy for players and then out of nowhere, was included in the England XI for the third Test against the same opponents before being named vice-captain ahead of what proved to be his last match.
Root heralded the 34-year-old Moeen as “a wonderful role model,” particularly in the British Asian and Muslim communities.
“I really hope that off the back of what he has done and achieved in Test cricket there will be so many young boys and girls out there that will be wanting to follow in his footsteps because he’s done fabulous things. The way he holds himself, the way he carries himself, the way he goes about things is fantastic. He leaves a legacy,” Root signed off.
