'India are a bit undercooked' - Moeen Ali ahead of the fifth Test

India and England will face each other during the rescheduled fifth Test on 1^st July 2022. This match shall take place in Birmingham. England are looking in tremendous form after their change of leadership in Test cricket as they have recently whitewashed New Zealand 3-0. Ben Stokes’ men chased targets in excess of 275 in all the three Test matches in the fourth innings.

Former England Test cricketer Moeen Ali feels that India looks a bit undercooked for the fifth Test. Ali further said that if the series had been completed last year then India would’ve won it but now England have the upper hand going into the fifth Test.

“If this series was finished last year, India would have won 3-1, but now, I feel the way England have played I think India might be slightly undercooked, due to the lack of cricket in England. If England come out the way they have played in the last few games, England will be the favourites,” Moeen said.

The southpaw also feels Virat Kohli should lead the team if Rohit Sharma isn’t able to get fit by the fifth Test Match. Sharma tested positive for Covid-19 during the warm-up match against Leicestershire and there’s no clarity about his availability for the fifth Test. Kohli had stepped down from Test captaincy after the series loss in South Africa.

“Because Virat was the captain earlier in the last series, I would give it (captaincy) to him for this one game. But it is obviously his call if he wants to take it or not. He is probably relaxed and happy, his mind is probably settled with not being the Test captain. He’s got the experience, and to be honest with you, this is a big series for India," Moeen was quoted as saying by India Today.

India are on the verge of winning their fourth series in England where they last won in 2007. The fifth Test of the series was originally supposed to take place last year in September but it was rescheduled due to the covid outbreak in the Indian camp.