Follow UsEngland all-rounder Moeen Ali is yet to secure India visa for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season and is likely to miss Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) season opener against Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday (March 26).
"It is learned that Moeen would need to arrive in Mumbai by Wednesday to stand a chance of playing his team's first match against 2021 runners-up Knight Riders," a report in ESPNcricinfo stated.
"Considering that Moeen would need to undergo the mandatory three-day quarantine to enter the IPL bio-secure environment, Super Kings' management has accepted that the chances of him playing the opening match appear remote," the report added.
If Moeen fails to arrive in time for the start of the tournament, New Zealand batter Devon Conway is likely to make his IPL debut. "The Super Kings will likely feel the pinch in their first match, considering Moeen's off-spin would have been handy against Knight Riders' trio of left-handers: Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana and Sunil Narine," it read.
Because of his fine all-round show which helped the team lift its fourth IPL title, Moeen was retained by CSK alongside inspirational captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja and Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Moeen scored 357 runs from 15 innings for CSK in the IPL last year, while also accounting for six wickets from 15 games with his off-spin bowling.
(With inputs from PTI)