ENGLAND spin legend Graeme Swann says Moeen Ali NEVER liked Test cricket and was NEVER suited to that form of the game.
But, as he tells SunSport’s Daniel Cutts, he expects Moeen to come back with a bang in the one-dayers against South Africa after an extended break from the international scene…
I DONT think Moeen Ali should or will feel under pressure coming back into the international fold for the ODI series.
Where he felt the pressure was in the Test cricket arena, which he didnt seem to like. He felt the burden of being expected to take those wickets.
He didnt revel in those situations where as a spinner the team turn to you to win them Test matches.
But if thats the case, then its no bad thing he wasnt playing the Test series.
One-day cricket isnt the same sort of pressure cooker.
In Test cricket, youre playing the long game trying to work people and the pitch out. Youre trying to play an extremely intense, prolonged game of chess.
Its always on you for five straight days, whereas ODIs just dont have that.
Youre trying not to get hit for four or six and youll probably end up with two or three for 40 or so.
I actually used to find it quite an unfulfilling format as a bowler.
Of course, you still have to bowl well and put the ball in the right places but you dont need anywhere near the same patience level.
The batsman will have to do something much sooner than he would in the red-ball game.
I think Mo will go well in this series because no one has ever questioned his ability with the ball or the bat. Its just his thinking which hasnt suited Test cricket.
Good on him for being honest about it. England seem to have found a spinner in Dom Bess who can do the job in the long form.
Its great to see Mo back in the ODI side. I want to see him smash a hundred off about 50 balls because hes capable of that and I want to see him do it again.
