Moeen Ali expects Australia to rightfully target him on his Test return, conceding he is likely to go for lots of runs.
Moeen will play his first red-ball match in almost two years in Friday's Ashes opener at Edgbaston, after the finger-spinner was brought out of retirement for the headline series.
His return to Test cricket was first broached in a text exchange with England captain Ben Stokes, who sent a simple "Ashes?" text after Jack Leach was ruled out through injury.
But while Moeen answered the SOS to be Leach's replacement, he knows he's not going to be able to fulfil the fellow-spinner's exact role in the team.
England have used Leach to great effect in the past year with the tweaker sending down the bulk of overs, taking the load off James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Mark Wood.
He did so with a handy economy rate of 3.33, with more than 20 per cent of his overs being maidens.
It's a role the more aggressive Moeen concedes he has never played and which is unlikely to change in this series.
"I am sure they know what they will get out of me, it's not going to be a lot of maidens," Moeen said.
"I've never been able to hold an end up. When I have, it's when I have been taking wickets.
"That's the only time I have been able to build any pressure. Ben and Baz know that.
"I know I go for runs but he knows there are also some wicket-taking deliveries in between, which is all he cares about."
Moeen's record against Australia is meek - 20 wickets at 60.55.
And while he has fared slightly better in England against Australia, he has still leaked 4.33 an over against the tourists.
He expects to be targeted again in the next two months.
"100 per cent, if I was them I would do the same," he said.
"I think any spinner who came in would be the same. I am not expecting them to defend me.
"I am expecting them to come after me, which could be dangerous. Because Stokesy likes his field up, so I could go for a lot of runs."
But the 35-year-old insists things can be different this time.
"I am probably a bit smarter with my bowling now," Moeen said.
"When I played previously I just bowled and didn't think too much about it.
"I know I have been out of the game but I have always thought if I play Australia again I will do this differently and that differently."
