ENG vs IND: When A Tough Situation Arises, Cheteshwar Pujara Is There To Do The Job - Mohammed Siraj

Indian fast bowler Mohammed Siraj was all praise for the senior batter, Cheteshwar Pujara, who scored a fifty on return to Test cricket on Day 3 of the Edgbaston Test against England.

Pujara fought hard and help up one end in the second innings. He ensured that India doesn’t collapse in tough batting conditions, and also pushed the lead to 257 at the end of the third day’s play.

“He (Pujara) is a warrior. In Australia, he did it, and here also, he is doing the job. Whenever the team requires, he always stands up. When the tough situation arises, he is always there to do the job.”

“Exactly, bowling to him is difficult, he does not attack much and just keeps on leaving balls so that can get irritating in the nets,” said Siraj during a press conference.

“We realised that our every bowler is 140-plus and they didn’t have that” – Mohammed Siraj

Siraj pointed out the difference between the bowling attack of New Zealand and India, claiming they have 140kmph+ pacers in their armory which the Kiwis don’t. This was the big factor in the way things panned out in the first innings of the Edgbaston Test compared to the 3-match series between England and New Zealand.

“Our simple plan was to stick to our basics and, no matter what he did for us, it was a matter of one ball, be it an inswinger or seaming in off the pitch.”

“When we saw the New Zealand series, we realised that our every bowler is 140-plus and they (New Zealand bowlers) didn’t have that. We had that ability and also, we also had played against England last year. So that was our plus point, as we’re aware of their weak points and that is why we got the success,” he also added.

Siraj said that the skipper Jasprit Bumrah remains the same person despite donning the captaincy hat.

“As a player and as a captain, he has been the same. He is always supportive and is always there to help me out. Whenever I do wrong, he tries to make me understand what to bowl in certain situations,” he concluded.

Also Read – Jasprit Bumrah becomes the Indian bowler with most wickets in a Test series in England