England all-rounder Moeen Ali has said that cricket needs people like Michael Vaughan to step up in the fight against racism, while mentioning the latter’s 2017 tweet for a documentary.

Speaking in a new documentary, 'Is Cricket Racist?', Moeen was asked about Vaughan’s old tweet, which suggested that the former should ask young British Muslims if they are terrorists to make society safer.

In reply, Moeen said: "It was very silly. Dumb really. We need people like him to step up for us. As Muslims, or any other faith really. And just be a bit smarter. I think he has also realised that times are changing and he has to change."

Notably, Vaughan has apologized for his tweets and was also cleared of racism charges levelled by England Cricket Board’s Cricket Discipline Commission for remarks against former Yorkshire cricketer Azeem Rafiq.

Rafiq had made serious allegations against the former England skipper and some other Yorkshire players, saying that he had been a victim of institutional racism at the club.

Rafiq, a player of Pakistani origin, claimed that Vaughan told him and other Asian players in the club that there were "too many of you lot, we need to do something about it" before a match in 2009.

Moeen feels whatever happened in the aftermath of Rafiq's allegations was a "shake-up" that the game needed.

"Obviously sad [for Rafiq's experiences], but it also felt like the game needed a shake-up," he said. "The greatest thing that has come out of it for me is that people have a voice now, whereas before people have been very afraid to say anything."

(ESPNCricinfo Inputs)