England must learn from India's style of play - Moeen Ali
Last updated on .From the section Cricket
| Fifth one-day international: England v India |
| Venue: Leeds Date: Friday, 5 September Start time: 10:30 BST |
| Coverage: Test Match Special commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, BBC Radio 4 Long Wave, via BBC Sport website & app, and BBC iPlayer Radio app; live text commentary on BBC Sport website & app |
England must learn from India's aggressive style of play if they are to turn around their dismal one-day form, according to all-rounder Moeen Ali.
After three heavy defeats, England are 3-0 down in the series with only Friday's match at Headingley remaining.
Moeen, who backed under-fire captain Alastair Cook, said: "Watching the way the Indians bat, you can learn a lot from the way they approach it.
"They play with no fear. If there is a risk, they just take it."
After coming from behind to win the Test series 3-1, England's weaknesses in the one-day international format have been ruthlessly exposed only six months before the World Cup.
They have been bowled out inside their allotted 50 overs in all three completed matches, with 227 their highest score, and were thrashed by nine wickets on Tuesday at Edgbaston with 19.3 overs to spare as India clinched the series.
| England v India ODI series 2014 |
|---|
| 1st ODI, Bristol: Match abandoned without a ball bowled |
| 2nd ODI, Cardiff: India won by 133 runs (D/L method) |
| 3rd ODI, Trent Bridge: India won by six wickets |
| 4th ODI, Edgbaston: India won by nine wickets |
| 5th ODI, Headingley: Friday, 5 September |
Moeen, who responded to his recall to the side by hitting 67 off 52 balls in Birmingham, urged more of his team-mates to follow his lead.
"Take it to them," the Worcestershire left-hander said. "There is no point in being the same 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.
"Watching someone like [India batsman] Suresh Raina in the first game, they were in trouble and he came out and played the way he played.
"He took a few risks and they came off. He backed himself. I tried to copy it a little a bit."
Cook has faced calls to step aside from ex-England captain Michael Vaughan and former spinner Graeme Swann after losing his last four series as ODI captain and nine of his last 12 matches against Test-playing nations.
However, research by Test Match Special statistician Andrew Samson revealed that Cook's playing record compares well with those of his predecessors.
His batting average as captain of 40.29 is the best of any England one-day skipper, while his strike rate of 81.06 is third behind Paul Collingwood and Andrew Strauss.
| ODI batting strike rates as England captain | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Av'ge | SR | 100s | 50s | |
| Paul Collingwood | 25 | 24 | 4 | 718 | 91* | 35.90 | 87.99 | 0 | 5 |
| Andrew Strauss | 62 | 62 | 2 | 2367 | 158 | 39.45 | 86.54 | 4 | 16 |
| Alastair Cook | 62 | 62 | 4 | 2337 | 137 | 40.29 | 81.06 | 4 | 16 |
| Mike Gatting | 37 | 37 | 7 | 1013 | 82* | 33.76 | 75.82 | 0 | 5 |
| David Gower | 24 | 24 | 0 | 601 | 102 | 25.04 | 70.87 | 1 | 2 |
| Nasser Hussain | 56 | 55 | 4 | 1598 | 115 | 31.33 | 70.86 | 1 | 12 |
| Michael Vaughan | 60 | 58 | 9 | 1418 | 90* | 28.93 | 66.23 | 0 | 11 |
| Alec Stewart | 41 | 41 | 1 | 924 | 88 | 23.10 | 64.12 | 0 | 6 |
| Mike Atherton | 43 | 43 | 2 | 1392 | 127 | 33.95 | 59.81 | 2 | 8 |
| Graham Gooch | 50 | 48 | 2 | 1378 | 112* | 29.95 | 55.12 | 1 | 7 |
| Mike Brearley | 25 | 24 | 3 | 510 | 78 | 24.28 | 45.43 | 0 | 3 |
| Figures compiled by Test Match Special statistician Andrew Samson (correct as of 3 September 2014) | |||||||||
"I have never met a more mentally strong person than Alastair," added Moeen. "To go through what he is doing and still be the same day in day out.
"I can imagine that it is very tough but I know he will come good.
"Obviously you don't want to keep losing, every game that comes along we're hoping to do well and perform and execute the plans.
"It's taking a bit of time but I am sure once we get one win it will all come good like the Test series did."
England will be without batsman Ian Bell at Headingley because of a fractured toe, but have not called up a replacement.
Listen to the Test Match Special podcast where Jonathan Agnew, Graeme Swann, Alec Stewart and Michael Vaughan discuss the future of England's one-day international side.
