Moeen Ali Q&A on England, Tymal Mills, IPL, Virat Kohli and more
Saturday 8 April 2017 12:28, UK
England's Moeen Ali is part of our team for Indian Premier League 10 - and we gave you the chance to ask him a question on Facebook Live. Check it out in full here...
Who is the best footballer in the England set-up? (question from Jos Buttler!)
There are a few guys up there but I'd be in the top three, definitely. It's easier to pick the worst - Alastair Cook. Stuart Broad's up there. Alex Hales too, he hides in defence. And Liam Dawson gives it all the talk but is terrible.
Why aren't you playing in the IPL, Mo?
In previous years I've not been available for it. This year I was, but I fancied a bit of a break. I went on a pilgrimage with the family instead, so I was busy doing that.
How much do you enjoy playing out in India?
It's a great place to play. Although obviously the wickets are tricky to play on.
What is Tymal Mills like to face?
He has obviously got a lot of pace, and in the nets in particular he is very dangerous as he loves a beamer! I've faced a couple of them. But he is a very good bowler, and he is only going to get better playing in the IPL.
What do you make of the ECB's plans for a new T20 tournament?
I think it is a fantastic idea, even if just for the overseas players that will be coming over. Imagine playing with guys like Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle, those explosive kinds of players. Plus, it will be great for the crowds and getting the youngsters coming in to watch cricket.
Who is the best T20 batsman in the world (and you can't pick Kohli)?
AB de Villiers. He is so difficult to set fields to as he can hit everywhere. He's a very smart cricketer too, he doesn't just go out there and slog it, he plays proper shots.
Who is the best T20 death bowler in the world?
Mitchell Starc. He can bowl at left or right-handers, from over or around the wicket, plus he has a great yorker and can reverse-swing it.
What is your favourite position to bat in the Test team?
I would love to bat at No 5. Not just from a personal point of view, but also form a team perspective it gives us a nice balance, as we can potentially play another spinner or whatever the team want to do. I'd love to make that No 5 spot my own.
Who is the best player you've played with, not in the England set-up?
Probably Graeme Hick. I played a lot with him at Worcestershire during his last couple of seasons. He was brilliant to watch, even if it was towards the end of his career.
Who is the best player of spin you've bowled to?
Kohli - the way he played the spinners in India was fantastic. He didn't come down the wicket and he didn't sweep much, he just grinds spinners down. Adil Rashid and I found him very tough to bowl at.
If you were on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, who is the last person in the England team you'd chose as your phone a friend?
There's quite a few. About nine out of a squad of 13! Rash is definitely one of them. I tricked Rash once - I said 'what's a tangerine?', knowing he didn't have a clue. He started jumping up and down, he thought it was a trampoline. I won't be phoning him!
Live coverage of the Indian Premier League continues on Sky Sports. Check out the full schedule here.
