Image Source: ECB
[Saba Sports News] England’s all-rounder Moeen Ali emphasizes the importance of persisting with red-ball cricket for young cricketers to enhance their skills, even if their ultimate goal is to excel in limited-overs formats.
Having recently concluded his Test career but still active in white-ball cricket, Moeen highlights the unique benefits of the longer format in developing a player’s technique and understanding of their game, something he believes is crucial for lasting success in cricket. He points out that transitioning from red-ball to white-ball cricket is generally easier than the reverse, and a solid foundation in red-ball cricket can safeguard against prolonged slumps in form, especially in T20s.
“People might see a lot of players playing white-ball cricket all over the place, but it is not the same,” shared Moeen. “You have to play a lot of red-ball cricket to know your batting and bowling. Your technique has to be different. It is easier to go from red ball to white than sometimes the other way around. Batsmanship has to be there. Knowing and understanding why you are not scoring runs.”
“A lot of the players who go big in T20 cricket, when they are out of form, they are out of form for a long time because they don’t understand their own batting technique. Whereas a guy who has played a lot of red-ball cricket, their bad form in T20s is not massive because they know the techniques. They have played a lot of first-class or Test matches. I think that’s the only thing that’s going out of the game. “As a young player coming through now, I would still want to play a lot of red-ball cricket to understand your own game. You just play, play, play. T20 leagues and the money will always be there.”
Moeen’s advice follows observations of players who prioritize T20 cricket and later struggle, exemplified by the young English batsman Will Smeed, who chose to focus on white-ball cricket early in his career.
Additionally, Moeen links the scarcity of top-class wrist-spinners in Test cricket to the neglect of red-ball cricket, advocating for young players to engage extensively with the format to refine their craft comprehensively.
“I want to become the best white-ball player I can, and the sacrifice is playing red-ball cricket.”