How big a contributor is Moeen Ali in the English team?

How big a contributor is Moeen Ali in the English team?: Moeen Ali is an English cricketer with a Pakistani heritage, a man who has been through ups and downs throughout his life. On the cricket field, he has managed to find a place for himself in all 3 formats of the game. The impact this guy has managed so far makes him a true modern generation all-rounder. His willingness to perform under any sort of circumstances is appreciated and does require a lot of guts to actually bat and bowl under different conditions.

Moeen started his career in early 2014 where his all-round abilities were evident. The kind of impression he has made is truly remarkable. The flow of his batting, exquisite timing and his deadly off spin makes him irreplaceable. It doesn’t matter much what the format is, his art of contributing to team’s success is noticeable.

One might say that Moeen Ali is still a work in progress. The 28-year-old’s batting average in both Tests and one-day internationals are not too impressive. The possible reason for such statistics could be the fluctuating nature of England’s batting order involving him. He has batted as an opener along with innings in the middle order as well. In the Pakistan series, Moeen has batted in the late middle order where usually the requirement is to go big as you arrive. At Test level, Moeen was provided with the opportunity to bat at the top with Cook. The experiment wasn’t a successful one, though. The England team management knows the value and flexible nature of Moeen Ali, it’s about time they use him rightly in the batting department.

There were times in his short career when his spot in the side was unsure. However, it was his work with the ball that restored the faith in his abilities. After Broad and Anderson, Moeen is 3^rd in the list of leading wicket-takers for England in 2015. He shows that he is much more than a part-timer. For his timely wickets with the ball allows his captain to use him often as a partnership breaker.

In the four-match series against Pakistan, the right arm off-spinner was a real handful as he managed breakthroughs when a partnership was building up. Batsmen usually show the tendency to go behind him and try to hit him out of the park, and that where the magic of England’s all-round sensation strikes gold. Even in the series against India, the perception against his bowling was the same. The success in that series and in the desserts with the ball has contributed majorly to England’s success.

In all three formats, a handy spin bowling all-rounder plays an essential role in team’s success. The modern day cricket requires flexibility and quick adjustment. To bat where the problem lies and mold as per the situation takes a lot of courage. With Moeen in the squad, the England team management hardly finds itself in trouble picking a balanced team combination, a true team player and indeed a massive contributor.

Written by Asif Mathani