Will Jacks has designs on becoming a Test match spinning all-rounder for England, and Moeen Ali has been helping him get there.
Just days after Moeen confirmed his Test retirement ahead of the tour to Pakistan, 23-year-old all rounder Jacks returned from his first England white ball tour desperate for more international action.
And after sharing a dressing room and playing his first T20 internationals under Moeen, he has been learning from one of the best about what it takes to move to the next level. The squad for the Test tour to Pakistan is being picked next week, and as the main spin option for county champions Surrey this year, Jacks’ name is certain to be in the mix.
“Test cricket is the ultimate challenge and the highest standard of cricket in the red ball game and I personally would love to play it,” said Jacks who was named the overall domestic MVP at the Cinch PCA awards on Thursday.
“It is probably the hardest format to play for England and it's something I would be incredibly honoured to play in.
“Right now I would love to play Test cricket. Out in Pakistan I had a chat with Mo and he mentioned to me similarities in our actions. He said when he was younger we kind of bowled similarly and how he had to change his action to develop into a Test cricketer.
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Harry Trump/Getty Images)“So he gave me some tips and pointers that I could work on which I am very grateful for. And while I was there in training, I tried to replicate them and find my own way of using those pointers.
“Trying to figure out how I can take those into my action in my game and that was very helpful.” Jacks is primarily a batsman as 648 runs at an average of 54 in the county championship suggests, not to mention his first short form ton in the Hundred too.
He showed some of his aggressive shot making ability in his sparkling 40 on debut in Karachi, but he knows that the extra spin bowling string to his bow could be the thing that gets him more international honours. And the current Test set-up has got every county player desperate to get involved.
“I am a batsman first,” he added. “But I think I'd like at some point in my career where I can honestly say to myself and I am 50/50 all rounder, but I've got a lot of work to do before then
“With bowling spin I made significant improvements from April to my last game in July and I'm a different player now than I was having made those improvements. I'm hoping over the winter and going forward I can improve more and hopefully push for that spot.
“The Test team have been incredible to watch and you can see that with Stokesy in charge they are playing without fear and trying to win the game whatever way they can.”
Will Jacks was named captain of the PCA men’s team of the year at the Cinch PCA Awards.
