England’s foremost all-rounder, Moeen Ali, has praised MS Dhoni as an extraordinary captain who constantly surprises his players with his exceptional strategic acumen. Speaking in an interview with ESPNcricinfo while in Bangladesh for the country’s franchise T20 League (BPL), the Birmingham-born cricketer delved into his experiences playing under Dhoni’s leadership.

During the interview, Ali discussed various topics, including his return to Test cricket during the Ashes last year and England’s performance in the 5-match Test series in India. Among the subjects explored was Ali’s perspective on playing under the captaincy of the 2011 World Cup-winning skipper, MS Dhoni.

Moeen Ali describes MS Dhoni’s leadership as “thrilling”

The 36-year-old began by describing MSD as not only a special player but also a special captain. Moeen expressed admiration for Dhoni’s unique approach, highlighting how his strategic prowess keeps players uncertain about their roles. The all-rounder emphasized that whenever he plays under Dhoni’s leadership in CSK, victory feels attainable regardless of the team’s composition.

Moeen Ali was acquired by the CSK franchise for 7 crores in the IPL 2021 auction. His impactful performance contributed significantly to CSK’s title triumph that year, with 357 runs and 6 wickets from 15 matches. He was retained by the Stephen Fleming-led management for 8 crores ahead of the 2022 mega auction. In the subsequent season, Ali managed 124 runs and 9 wickets from the same number of matches, as Chennai matched Mumbai Indians in terms of most IPL trophies.

“Everyone acknowledges Dhoni’s exceptional abilities as both a player and a captain. He’s a fantastic individual. Despite playing three seasons under him, I still find his strategic unpredictability intriguing. It’s thrilling as a player to anticipate the roles he assigns. Playing for CSK under Dhoni’s leadership, regardless of the team’s perceived strength, always instills a sense of confidence in winning,” Moeen Ali remarked via ESPNcricinfo.

During the interview, Ali was also questioned about England’s prospects of retaining the ICC T20 World Cup, a title they secured in 2022. Ali expressed optimism about the Jos Buttler-led team’s chances, citing their formidable squad as they prepare for the event co-hosted by the USA and West Indies in June.

Ali’s sole objective is to secure trophies

Expanding on his previous comments about MS Dhoni, Moeen Ali expressed his ambition to secure numerous trophies throughout the remaining years of his career. The left-handed batsman and right-arm off-spinner emphasized that his success will ultimately be measured by the number of trophies he has won rather than individual statistics such as averages or strike rates.

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“Personally, my goal is to accumulate as many trophies as possible. When reflecting on my career, I want to recall the trophies I’ve earned rather than focusing on personal statistics. It’s about contributing to a team’s success and leaving behind a lasting legacy. For instance, with Comilla, we clinched the last two BPL trophies,” Ali concluded.