Mohammed Siraj picked up a five-wicket haul in the second innings of the fifth Test.
The Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy will be shared. After 25 days of rollicking cricket, the pendulum swung India’s way on the final day of the series. Chasing 374, England were reduced to 106/3. But a 195-run partnership between Joe Root and Harry Brook on Day 4 propelled the hosts towards the target. A match which was well set to get done on the penultimate day was pushed to the final day as rain gods wreaked havoc on The Oval. The hosts were in search of 35 runs on the final morning, and Mohammed Siraj stood in their way.
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The series, let alone the last Test match, had everything to offer. Hundreds, double-hundreds, five-wicket hauls, stunning catches, controversies and courage shown by players on both sides. After England took an upper-hand at the Home of Cricket, the Indians clawed their way back into the series with a gritty draw at Old Trafford. But the icing on the cake was designed at The Oval, where the Indians drew the series with an emphatic victory. It was all about nerves on the final day of the Test, and the Indians held them till the last moment.
Former India skipper Virat Kohli took to his X (formerly Twitter) handle, appreciating the Indian team for their victory in the last Test. He credited both Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna for their resilience and character shown on the morning of Day 5. Moreover, Kohli went a step ahead to laud the efforts of Mohammed Siraj, saying that the pacer always puts his best foot forward. The Indian speedster too, wasted no time in reverting to his former skipper, thanking him for the congratulatory message.
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The Indian speedster will remember this series for a lifetime. Not just because of the number of wickets which he took, but because of the way he led the bowling attack. Jasprit Bumrah was slated to play just three matches for India. The visitors needed someone to step up in the absence of Bumrah. In came Siraj, bolstering India’s chances in the series. The lion-hearted warrior gave his everything till the last ball. To add an element of numbers, Siraj’s last delivery to Gus Atkinson was bowled at 143 kmph, indicating that his intensity never went down.
The Gujarat Titans (GT) pacer went on to pick 23 wickets in five Tests. This was the most for any bowler in the series. He finished the series with two five-wicket hauls – something which he will always be remembered for. A fast bowler goes through a lot in terms of the stress on one’s body. This is not collectively throughout the series, but with every single delivery that one bowls. Siraj bowled 185.3 overs in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy to take his 23 wickets. This will go down as one of the massive efforts by an Indian bowler on foreign soil.
The speedster shares a unique bond with Virat Kohli. Siraj has been quite vocal about his connection with Kohli. The message from the former Indian skipper will do his confidence a world of good. The Indians will surely board the flight back home with a smile.
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