I Feel Ravindra Jadeja Is An Amazing Cricketer, He Is One Of My Favourite - Moeen Ali

England all-rounder Moeen Ali has expressed his admiration for India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja ahead of the fourth Test at the Oval, starting Thursday.

Jadeja, the third-ranked ICC all-rounder has been in terrific form over the past few years, in particular with the bat which has seen him rise over Ravichandran Ashwin in the pecking order for the spin-bowling all-rounder’s role.

Moeen Ali, who has been named as England’s vice-captain for the fourth Test in absence of Jos Buttler, stated Jadeja is one of his favourite characters and an amazing cricketer.

He further hailed Jadeja’s multidimensional offerings making him a utility cricketer in any team on any surface.

“I feel Jadeja is an amazing cricketer, he is one of my favourite characters in the world. I would always have Jadeja in my team and I think India after winning at Lord’s would have gone with four seamers (at Headingley) and Jadeja did a great job. He is batting really well,” Moeen Ali said.

Jadeja has played a couple of crucial hands in the series so far and has bowled tightly in conditions that haven’t assisted his bowling.

I’m expecting little bit of spin towards the end: Moeen Ali

Moeen Ali has plenty of fond memories of the Oval: he scored a hundred in 2016 against Pakistan, took a hat-trick against South Africa in 2017, and a year later notched up a fifty against India.

While the all-rounder doesn’t expect to pick another hat-trick, he feels that it would once again turn and help the tweakers.

“Most grounds in England tend to spin a little bit anyway, some obviously more than others, but there’s always a bit of spin. I am not expecting a hat-trick (again) but expecting little bit of spin towards the end.

“It does look a bit more green than what you normally see here. It’s always a good wicket for batting and bowling and towards the end of the game the spinners (get into the game),” Ali concluded.

England are also boosted by the return of Chris Woakes. Either from Craig Overton or Sam Curran are set to make way for Woakes. India, on the other hand, may play Ashwin for a pacer.

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