Moeen Ali on his decision to retire from Test cricket after a remarkable career
Moeen Ali was well aware of the precise time he needed to withdraw from Test cricket. He'd earned a long-awaited recall to the England squad and was part of an action-packed encounter against Leeds. However, in that Test and the subsequent one at The Kia Oval, he was unable to focus completely.It wasn't that he was indifferent. Not at all. However, after a few years in short-format cricket, he discovered he lacked the ability to thrive in Test cricket. "To be honest, I felt like I was finished," he admits today. "I was expecting to play in the last Test - there were a few benchmarks I wanted to achieve - but when that game was called off, I realized that was it.
Focus shift
"Headingley was a fantastic victory, but I found myself unable to focus. I've made hasty shots and had ba...