Moeen Ali has come in for praise from ex England spinner Graeme Swann and believes the Worcestershire all-rounder is proving to be an excellent replacement for him at international level.
Moeen has taken 19 wickets in the four Test matches to date against India as England have looked to fill the gap left by Swann's retirement from all cricket during the winter.
Swann, in his column for The Sun newspaper, writes: "Moeen Ali's incredible improvement in recent weeks has made me feel a lot better about retiring.
"It is difficult to remember a cricketer who has developed so quickly with England.
"In less than a season, Moeen has shown he can be a genuine frontline Test match spinner.
"I must say I am very pleased and not just because Moeen is a lovely, relaxed lad.
"When I retired just before Christmas, I couldn't bowl how I wanted at international level because of pain in my elbow.
"But there was a nagging feelingof leaving England in the lurch. Which spinner could back up the likes of Stuart Anderson and Chris Broad?
"Now Moeen has filled the role. He has been brilliant especially in England's wins in the last two Tests.
"He puts a lot of revolutions on the ball and causes it to drift away and dip. He threatens both edges of the bat."
Swann added: "There was no doubt Alastair Cook was hesitant about using Moeen in the early part of the season. That was understandable.
"He doesn't have much first class experience. As a result, his bowling was inconsistent.
"Now Moeen has won the captain's trust. He can be thrown the ball and not only keep things tight but also pick up wickets."
