Headingley: England's unlikely bowling hero in the Tests, all-rounder Moeen Ali also made an impact with the bat at Edgbaston while playing his first ODI of the series and has admitted that he learnt a lot by watching Indian batsmen from the sidelines.
“Sitting on the sidelines for the first two games, watching the way Indians bat, watching someone like Suresh Raina in the first game, they were in trouble and he came out and played the way he did. You can learn a lot from the way they approach it, with no fear and just back themselves to play their shots.
“If there is a risk, they just take it. Sometimes it doesn't come off but as a team if we can all do that and execute the plan like I say then we will be fine,” Ali said on the eve of the final ODI match here today.
England lost the fourth ODI by 9 wickets as India took an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the five-match series. Ali though, who struck a 50-ball 67 to help England gain some respect while batting first in Birmingham, still believes that the team has the hunger to win.
“There's still a lot to play for. A lot of the players are still playing for places in Sri Lanka. To win the game for England is important. He's (Alastair Cook) trying to get us to stick together, work hard and execute the plan,” said Ali.
Ali's knock, laced with 4 fours and 3 sixes, was England's first fifty in the ongoing ODI series and the left-handed batsman is just happy to contribute for the team.
“I was just going and trying to get a score for the team, play how I play and mot fear anything or anyone, just enjoy batting, put bat to ball, try and be different, go out and accelerate a little bit and thankfully everything came off that day,” he said.
“As a batsman you want to take the game to them. There is no point in playing the same way and getting out the same way all the time. I'd rather get caught on the boundary or stumped trying to do something than try and knock it around all the time,” he added.
