Joe Root declares Mohammed Siraj 'FAKE' despite unreal Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy heroics
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English batter Joe Root has lauded Mohammed Siraj, citing him as a great character on the field, and praised his work ethic.
The English batting superstar has had a fair contest against Indian paceman Mohammed Siraj, the only Indian bowler to have played all matches in this series. Siraj has received immense praise for his fitness and his staunch determination with which he delivered the most overs for the Indian team with the ball.
After Mohammed Siraj's stunning spell, which did not include a wicket but led to the fall of wickets from the other end due to the challenges offered by the expert pacer, Joe Root was forced to laud his efforts at The Oval. He has highly praised Siraj's undying spirit and energy in the game.
India's comeback post Harry Brook-Joe Root run riot
After a good start with the dismissals of Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope, India looked promising at the start of Day 4 of the match; however, Harry Brook was dropped by Siraj, and then alongside Joe Root, the veteran batter, put on a huge partnership to rescue England with respective hundreds.
Despite India's dire condition at The Oval, where England posed 301/3 chasing 374, Siraj did not give up his spirits and reduced England to 339/6 at the end of the day's play.
Mohammed Siraj picked up 4 wickets in the first innings, while he next picked up two more wickets in the ongoing second English innings at the Oval, while Joe Root scored a stunning 105 runs, when England once again needed him the most.
He’s got this, like, fake angriness about him sometimes - Joe Root on Mohammed Siraj
In the post-match conference, Joe Root reflected on how impressive Mohammed Siraj has been throughout the series, as a player and also as an excellent character on the field.
“He's a character, a warrior; he's a real warrior," Root said in the press conference after the day's play.
“He’s someone that you want on your team; he’s that kind of character. He gives everything for India, and credit to him for that, the way he approaches cricket."
"He’s got this, like, fake angriness about him sometimes, which I can see straight through. He’s actually a really nice lad, but he tries it incredibly hard. He’s a very skillful player; there’s a reason why he’s got all those wickets," Root concluded.
Root's praise for Siraj did not end there; he went on to tag the Indian bowler as a major inspiration for several youngsters.
“It’s because of his work ethic and skill level. I enjoy playing against him. He’s always got a big smile on his face, and he’ll give everything for his team. So I guess you couldn’t want anything more of that as a fan watching, and he’s a great example to any young players starting out," added the English veteran.
Root shows sheer disappointment on late Day 4 dismissal
England needs 35 runs on the final day of the Oval Test. They already lead the series by a margin of 2-1. However, Joe Root looked significantly frustrated post his dismissal, as he would have wanted to wind things up for England.
“I was really frustrated because I missed out; it was really disappointing to not still be there tonight and get us over the line. But we are still in a really good position, a lot of batting left, and the two guys out there are very capable of seeing us home," said Root, implying frustration over dismissal post a good-looking hundred.
"It has been one hell of a series, one hell of a journey, and we have the confidence in our dressing room," added Root.
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India National Cricket Team England National Cricket Team India vs England Joe Root Mohammed Siraj Prasidh Krishna Harry Brook
