IPL 2021: Moeen Ali critical to CSK's success when season resumes

England all-rounder Moeen Ali will be key to Chennai Super Kings' success when the 2021 IPL resumes on Sunday. Moeen is in good form and will be suited to the conditions in the UAE.

CSK are currently second in the IPL table with 10 points from seven games. They trail Delhi Capitals by two points but have a game in hand.

Moeen's recent form

Moeen captained Birmingham Phoenix to the final of the inaugural The Hundred competition. In seven matches, he accumulated 225 runs at an average of 32.14 with a strike rate of 148.02. He also picked up four wickets.

Moreover, having been left out of the England Test setup for over two years, he returned to the team and played in three Test matches against India. That bodes well for his confidence going into the IPL.

IPL form

Before the IPL's postponement in May, Moeen was averaging 34.33 at 157.25 with the bat. The all-rounder was equally effective with the ball, demonstrated by a miserly 3/7 against the Rajasthan Royals. An economy rate of 6.16 shows that Moeen rarely goes for runs.

Critical success factors

To get the best out of Moeen's batting, he should be utilized at number three or four. Moeen is a batter who scores quickly and can bring CSK plenty of runs in the first 15 overs of the innings. The middle overs are when Moeen does the most damage.

One facet of his game that will be useful for CSK once the season resumes is his ability to play spin. Moeen is generally troubled by the fastest bowlers and can score quickly off other types of bowling.

Moeen's bowling, however, could well be more critical than his batting. The spin-friendly surfaces in the UAE should suit the Englishman and he could prove quite difficult to score off in the middle overs.

All in all, Moeen has a vital job in the middle of the innings with both bat and ball, and his performances will be key to CSK's prospects.