Moeen Ali: England all-rounder announces retirement from Test cricket

Moeen played 64 Tests since his debut in 2014, scoring 2,914 runs (including five centuries) and taking 195 wickets. Only two English spinners, Derek Underwood and Graeme Swann, have more Test wickets than Moeen, as he overtook Jim Laker in his final match, against India at the Kia Oval last month.

In England whites, Moeen was, at once, an overachiever and an underachiever, and a source of joy and frustration in equal measure for fans.

An average of 28 does not do justice to his lavish talents with the bat, but he found himself shunted around the batting order, lining up everywhere from opener to No9 to suit the team’s needs. He never managed to live up to the promise shown in his second Test, against Sri Lanka at Headingley, when a defiant innings of 108 not out came within two balls of saving England from defeat.

He was at his best between 2015 and 2017 when stationed as an easy, elegant counter-attacking threat at No7 or 8. At No7, he scored three Test centuries and averaged 34. When England travelled to Asia, however, he often found himself moved into the top five.

With the ball, Moeen arrived at Test level as a gifted but unpolished spinner learning on the job. His all-round contributions made him an unlikely but effective successor to Graeme Swann. Moeen became an attacking spinner who bowled wicket-taking deliveries – with plenty of spin, drift and dip – in fine spells, but was often unable to provide the control required. He took a wicket every 61 balls, a fine strike-rate.

Moeen’s phlegmatic nature and wicked sense of humour have made him a hugely popular team-mate, as well as a beloved figure among fans.

“I will miss just walking out there with the lads, playing against the best in the world with that feeling of nerves, but also knowing that with my best ball I could get anyone out.

“I have to thank Peter Moores and Chris Silverwood for being my coaches, and Peter for giving me my debut, and [Alastair Cook] and [Joe Root] as the captains who I’ve enjoyed playing under and I hope they are happy with how I played.”