Will Moeen Ali return again for India series? says, 'if Ben Stokes texts me, I'll delete it'

Ben Stokes approached Moeen Ali with a succinct one-word message to make a comeback to Test cricket.

Moeen Ali

England captain Ben Stokes played a pivotal role in convincing the experienced all-rounder Moeen Ali to come out of Test retirement and rejoin the squad for the highly anticipated Ashes 2023 series against Australia. Moeen had last participated in Test cricket for England during their defeat against India at The Oval in 2021. However, when questioned about his potential participation in the series against India, Moeen had a humorous response.

Stokes approached Moeen with a succinct one-word message that proved to be persuading enough for him to make a comeback to Test cricket. Subsequently, he replaced spinner Jack Leach and made a significant impact with three crucial wickets in Australia's second innings. His contributions played a crucial role in helping England level the Ashes series 2-2 in the memorable farewell match of Stuart Broad at The Oval on Sunday.

Looking ahead, England's next significant ICC World Test Championship (WTC) fixture will be against the formidable Team India, led by Rohit Sharma. When questioned about the possibility of reconsidering his retirement decision from Test cricket, Moeen recollected his famous conversation with Captain Stokes.

He confirmed that he will not continue playing Test cricket for the Three Lions after the conclusion of the Ashes series. "That's me done," Moeen stated in an interview with Sky Sports. He humorously added, "If Ben Stokes texts me, I'll delete it."

Having been a white-ball specialist and a key member of MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Moeen's return to Test cricket brought excitement to cricket fans worldwide.

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