Indian batsmen felt I was an easy prey: Moeen Ali

Moeen Ali

London – England part-time spinner Moeen Ali feels that perhaps Indian batsmen felt he was an easy target and paid a heavy price with their wickets and losing the fourth Test at the Old Trafford by an innings and 54 runs inside three days.

Moeen has played a crucial role in the series that England lead 2-1. He picked up eight wickets, including a six-wicket haul in the second innings, in the third Test that England won by 266 runs. Moeen also spun the team to success in Manchester picking up four for 39 to skittle out India for 161 runs in the second innings.

From starting as a part-time off-spinner, it has been a remarkable story for Moeen.

"I don't know how I'm getting these wickets but I'm happy to," said Moeen.

Moeen, however, feels the Indian batsmen took him lightly.

"They felt I was an easy target, a guy they could get easy runs from, which has helped me quite a bit. If they attack me, now I'm bowling well, I've got a chance. But they're very good players of spin. I don't know how I'm getting these wickets but I'm happy to! I feel like I'm on top and I feel I can get players out," Moeen was quoted as saying by Cricinfo.com.

Moeen now trusts his conventional off-spin more than ever before and has shelved his idea of working on a doosra.

"Yeah, I don't need it (doosra) at the moment. The way I'm bowling at the moment, attacking both sides of the bat because some of them are going straight on, means I don't really need it. I'd still like to have it in my repertoire but it needs a lot more work," he said.

Moeen said that he doesn't want to get carried away with his recent success.

"I don't want to get carried away. But I do feel I've taken a big step towards being a decent Test spinner. I feel like I have more control, and that my captain and team-mates can trust me," said Moeen.