England all-rounder Moeen Ali is set to announce his retirement from Test cricket effective immediately, stated ESPNcricinfo in a report. The 34-year-old has reportedly decided to call time on his international career in the whites ahead of the Ashes tour later this year, with concerns around bio-bubble fatigue and extended time away from the family.
ESPNcricinfo reported, Moeen is:
“uncomfortable with the prospect of an extended time away from home in the coming months as a likely member of both the T20 World Cup and Ashes squads.”
The report also stated that the spin all-rounder has informed of his decision to England’s head coach Chris Silverwood and Test captain Joe Root from the UAE where he is currently playing the second half of IPL 2021 for Chennai Super Kings.
While hanging his boots in Tests, it is understood the 34-year-old off-spinner and left-hand batter is “keen to continue his career for England in white-ball cricket” and county as well as franchise cricket around the world.
Moeen’s decision to quit Tests comes in the year where he made his return to the format after a two-year gap. The off-spinner played a Test match during the tour of India in February-March and then featured in three back to back Tests in India’s return series to the English shores in August-September.
👕 204 international matches
— Sportskeeda India (@Sportskeeda) June 18, 2021
🏏 5072 runs
💯 8 centuries
☝️ 292 wickets
🏆 2019 World Cup winner
✅ First Asian-origin cricketer to captain 🏴 in T20s
pic.twitter.com/477pAJhdif
Moeen played a total of 64 Tests from his debut back in 2014 and scored 2,914 runs at an average of 28.29 to go with his 195 wickets at 36.66 per piece.
In a career that saw quite a few highs and lows, it perhaps fitted that Moeen played his last Test versus India, an opponent against whom he struck two of his five Test centuries and bagged two of his five five-wicket hauls.
England would’ve wanted him to be available for a tough Ashes series Down Under. But at 34, with a young family, it is understandable why he is looking to create more space for himself in the calendar and focus his energies in the white-ball arena.
