Mohammed Siraj makes shocking admission!! Claims he's happy Jasprit Bumrah isn't playing
Legendary Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has been left out of the Indian playing 11, while Mohammed Siraj was given the responsibility to lead the Indian attack, being the more experienced bowler among the trio.
India went on to feature in the Edgbaston test with three frontline pacers: Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep and Prasidh Krishna. He did not have the best of starts to the series, as Siraj went for many runs and could just pick up 2 wickets in the first match.
Siraj picked 6 wickets in the innings, also not leaking too many runs despite the carnage of the English batters Jamie Smith and Harry Brook. Here in the absence of Indian pace stalwart Jasprit Bumrah, the 31-year-old Gujarat Titans pacer picked crucial wickets and kept choking the opposition at times.
"I love responsibility; I love the challenge. It's unbelievable because I was waiting for a long time. I have been bowling well but not getting wickets... It's Akash Deep's third or fourth match, the same for Prasidh, so I was just focused on staying consistent and building pressure," Siraj said on his strategies for the game.
Mohammed Siraj produces the second-best figures in his Test career at Birmingham
Mohammed Siraj bowled stunningly, picking up one wicket early in the England innings on Day 2. He picked the big wicket of Zack Crawley, as the English openers were all dismissed late on Day 2.
However, the major jolt that Siraj gave to the English batting innings was in the first hour of Day 3's play. He dismissed the veteran batter Joe Root and skipper Ben Stokes on the very next ball. These consecutive wickets pulled the game in India's favour.
After the domination by English batters for the rest of the two sessions, Mohammed Siraj cleaned up the tailenders after Akash Deep handed vital breakthroughs to India. 6/70 was Mohammed Siraj's second-best figures in test cricket, his best being 6/15 picked against South Africa at Cape Town.
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Mohammed Siraj received huge support from fellow pacer Akash Deep
The Indian fast sensation Jasprit Bumrah, who was rested for the second test at Birmingham, citing some reduced workload before the veteran can star in the Lord's test, was replaced by the quick Akash Deep.
Akash Deep grabbed this opportunity with full might, as he picked up 4 crucial wickets that changed the course of the game for India every time England had an opportunity to dominate the Indians further and reduce the lead.
Akash Deep largely supported Mohammed Siraj, as the two ran through the Indian batting innings, taking a lead of 180 runs at the end of the first England innings.
Jasprit Bumrah misses the Edgbaston Test
Jasprit Bumrah, the premium Indian fast bowler, featured at Headingley for India and picked another 5-wicket haul. He set many records with his performance at Leeds, but was rested for the second game.
The Indian management had already suggested earlier that Jasprit Bumrah would be made to play in not more than 3 games in the India vs England Test series. Despite losing the first test, the management looked firm with their decision and hence decided to relieve Bumrah of some workload before he returns to Lord's.
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India National Cricket Team England National Cricket Team India vs England England vs India ICC World Test Championship Mohammed Siraj Jasprit Bumrah
