5 players who changed their style to adapt to the team's needs
To enjoy a long and fruitful career in professional cricket at the highest level, it is very important for a player to adapt over the years. Adapting one's style is done generally keeping in mind the requirements of the team and gives the player a desired flexibility to continue to ply his trade at the top level.Especially, in a team sport, a player needs to be flexible since he can never take his spot for granted. Here are five top players who changed their style to adapt to their team's needs:
#5 Moeen Ali
There was a time when Moeen Ali was considered to be a bits and pieces cricketer. His first-class record was promising and the English selectors put faith in him believing he could be a handy all-rounder. But he failed to convert his starts into big ones and did not look like a bowler who could be England's frontline spinner.
Moeen Ali knew that economical spells and inconsistent lower order contributions in Tests were not going to be enough to keep him in the team. He worked hard on his bowling - he knew that being known as a mere part-timer was not going to be enough and after the surprise retirement of Graeme Swann, he had been called up primarily for his bowling. A conversation with Kumar Dharmasena, the umpire who was present during a net session, benefitted him greatly as Dharmasena provided him technical advice to increase his pace without compromising on his flight.
In the 2014 Test series against India, Ali seemed to have turned over a new leaf as he bowled at a good pace while varying his trajectory at the same time. He was one of the chief engineers of England's victory at the Ageas Bowl in the third Test as he ran through the Indian lower order on the last day finishing with career-best figures of 6 for 67. It was an important victory and helped turn the series in England's favour as Moeen Ali ended the series with an awe-inspiring 19 wickets.
He started opening the batting in ODIs and found instant success when he hit a thrilling 119 off 87 balls against Sri Lanka later that year. He seemed to be enjoying the freedom he had been given to express himself and even when batsmen at the other end kept getting out cheaply, he kept going unleashing an array of strokes that were pleasing to the eye. His flicked six off Ajantha Mendis was especially a treat to watch.
He was asked to open for England in the 2015 World Cup and he set up England's victory against Scotland beautifully scoring 128 off 107 balls. He is now seen as England's only genuine all-rounder who opens the batting in ODIs and is also considered to be their frontline spinner.
He is considered to belong to the new brand of fearless English cricketers who are bringing about a renaissance in England's style of batting in the shorter format of the game. Lovingly known as 'The Beard That's Feared' among the English fans and already having been compared to the legend WG Grace, Moeen Ali is expected to be the frontline spinner to lead the attack for England in the upcoming Ashes.