In 2018, the 4th Test match between England and India didn’t go well for the visitors as Moeen Ali dismantled the Indian batting attack in both innings. He was absolutely terrific throughout the match, as he kept his calm, and claimed nine wickets for 134 runs. In the first innings, he claimed a five-wicket haul, and in the second innings, he dismissed four batters to close the game. It could have been an easy win for India, but Ali’s bowling was terrific for England to win the game by 60 runs.
The pitch wasn’t favoring the batters, and this was pretty evident in the first innings when England scored just 246 runs. When India came to bat, they took the lead with some 20-odd runs, which could have been more. However, Moeen Ali’s fifer and Stuart Broad’s three wickets helped them get back into the game. During the 2nd innings, India had to chase 254 runs to win the game. The Day 4 pitch wasn’t in the batter’s favor, since Moeen Ali’s entry made it even worse.
He came in and dismissed two set batters, Virat Kohli (58) and Ajinkya Rahane (51), and after that, the wickets kept falling at regular intervals. Later, he dismissed Rishabh Pant, who could have helped India win the game. Moeen Ali was the ‘Player of the Match’ for his brilliant bowling in both innings. His bowling in that particular match showed a lot of confidence and perseverance as he returned to cricket after a long time. When a player returns, his mindset and approach become different, and it was quite evident in the way Moeen Ali bowled in the match.