All-rounder Moeen Ali is hoping for a spot in England‘s playing XI after a fine all-round show in the County Championship.
Playing for Worcestershire against Yorkshire, the left-handed batsman cracked a double ton and picked up eight wickets in the match, raising his chances of playing the Southampton Test against India which begins on Thursday.
Ali hasn’t been high on England’s Test priority list since an indifferent tour Down Under and he is therefore keeping his expectations low.
“If I get the nod it will be great, if not then not a problem. I’m just trying to stay in the present,” Ali was quoted as saying by Sky Sports.
“I’m playing well and I just want to keep up the form with Worcestershire and hopefully with England as well.”
It was the second successive first-class match in which Ali picked up eight wickets. It has been a remarkable turnaround for 31-year-old as he has fully recovered from the finger injury that bothered him during the Ashes.
“If I get the call, then great, but if not, I hope the guys that are playing do really well.
“For me it’s about preparing to play and if I don’t get the call then obviously I will have to go and play county cricket. I will try to improve and get better in the nets.”
