The Ashes 2023: Moeen Ali says Ben Stokes is the only captain he would have returned for

Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali past played unneurotic for England successful the T20 World Cup last successful November

Moeen Ali says helium would not person travel retired of Test status to play successful the Ashes for immoderate different England skipper than Ben Stokes.

Stokes' pioneering benignant of captaincy has led England to 11 wins from their past 13 Tests.

"To beryllium portion of it is amazing. It's specified a large bid and the guys person been playing breathtaking cricket," said Moeen.

A accent fracture successful Leach's backmost was revealed aft England's broad triumph against Ireland astatine Lord's earlier this month.

Off-spinner Moeen, who retired from Test cricket successful September 2021, was contacted by Stokes earlier helium heard astir Leach's injury.

"Stokesy messaged maine with a question people - 'Ashes?'," said Moeen. "I conscionable said 'LOL', reasoning helium was taking the mick.

"The quality came done and I had a chat with him. That was it."

Moeen and Stokes were team-mates with Chennai Super Kings astatine the Indian Premier League successful April and May.

"I've evidently spent a batch of clip with Stokesy during the IPL," said Warwickshire's Moeen.

"He didn't notation thing astir coming retired of retirement, it was conscionable astir the Ashes and however helium was looking to instrumentality the team. He evidently watched maine bid retired determination and thinks I tin vessel decently."

Moeen, who has taken 195 wickets and scored 2,914 runs successful 64 Tests, is successful enactment to spell consecutive into the England squad for the Ashes opener against Australia astatine Edgbaston connected Friday. He volition crook 36 connected the 3rd time of the match.

Naturally assertive with some bat and ball, Moeen is apt to beryllium well-suited to the attacking benignant of cricket championed by Stokes and England manager Brendon McCullum.

Asked whether helium would person travel retired of status for immoderate different captain, Moeen said: "Probably not, no.

"It is simply a escaped hit. I'm not playing for my spot. There's nary pressure, really.

"I spoke to Baz [McCullum] and helium said he's not bothered astir however I perform, which is rather nice.

"As an individual, I privation to bash good and lend to winning games. All the things I ever wanted to bash successful Test cricket I'm going to effort to bash successful these games. It could beryllium dangerous, it could beryllium not truthful dangerous. We'll see."

• 'Make definite everything we bash is simply a bully time' - Stokes speaks to Isa Guha
• Most runs, wickets, sixes - marque your Ashes predictions

Moeen revealed that his woman has reservations astir his determination and that helium has had to cancel a household vacation successful bid to play successful the Ashes.

Though England person lone named a squad for the archetypal 2 Tests, helium is disposable for the full bid but is improbable to widen his comeback to the circuit of India successful the caller year.

Moeen was an Ashes victor successful 2015, but has a mediocre vocation grounds against the Australians, averaging astir 65 with the ball.

In his past Ashes series, connected location ungraded successful 2019, helium was dropped aft the archetypal Test astatine the aforesaid Edgbaston crushed wherever helium volition marque his return.

"It's a spot of a caller start," helium said. "I get implicit those things beauteous quickly. I've forgotten astir those things and moved on."

Moeen besides said helium "100%" expects to beryllium targeted by the Australian batters.

"If I was them I'd bash the same," helium said. "Any spinner that came successful would person been attacked. I'm not expecting them to support me.

"I'm expecting them to travel aft me, which could beryllium unsafe due to the fact that Stokesy likes having the fielders up. It could spell for a batch of runs."