India pacer Mohammed Siraj is drawing lavish praise from all quarters for his lion-hearted effort throughout the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England.

Siraj put his body on the line and played all five games in the hard-fought series, finishing as the leading wicket-taker. His grit was evident in the 1113 deliveries he bowled, picking up 23 wickets at an average of 32.43.

When India needed crucial wickets, Siraj stepped up, often stretching his spells to ensure smoother rotation. With Jasprit Bumrah playing only three Tests to manage his workload, the 31-year-old took on the mantle of spearheading India’s pace attack.

On the final day of the Oval Test, the hosts were 35 runs away from chasing a 374-run target, with four wickets in hand. However, Siraj once again lifted his game under pressure, returning with five wickets to propel the visitors to a narrow six-run victory, thereby ending the series in a 2-2 draw.

Impressed with his exploits, former Indian captain Mohammed Azharuddin has said that Siraj’s favourite dishes -- nalli gosht biryani and paya -- have helped the fast bowler build the strength he needs to deliver match-winning spells.

“Siraj was outstanding. Thanks to nalli gosht biryani and paya [which are his favourite food] he has developed a strong body, particularly his legs. He showed a lot of enthusiasm and energy. Throughout the series he had the hunger to excel and deliver for India,” Azharuddin told Mid-Day.

He was particularly impressed with Siraj’s heroics in the series-decider at the Oval. “That spell at the Oval was incredible. He took on the responsibility admirably in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah. He came hard at the England batters and bowled with a lot of intensity. He is clearly the new super star of Indian sport,” Azharuddin added.

Owing to his stunning exploits in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, Siraj rose to the 15th position in the latest ICC Test Rankings for bowlers. He was also declared Player of the Match at the Oval.