Mohammed Siraj played an instrumental role in India’s 151-run victory over England in the second Test at Lord’s. He kept giving crucial breakthroughs to the team and ended with eight wickets in the match.
Veteran India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who was not part of the playing XI at Lord’s, praised the right-arm pacer for brilliantly exploiting the slope of the ground. He was particularly impressed with Siraj’s spell to England all-rounder Moeen Ali in the second innings.
According to Ashwin, only Siraj and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant were in action for a couple of overs as Moeen kept playing and missing the deliveries.
“You got Siraj into the team telling he’s a fast bowler right? Then why is he bowling fast off-breaks? He’s running in from the slope and his cutters are like off-breaks. His bowling to Moeen Ali was exceptional.
"Rishabh Pant and Siraj alone played cricket for 2 overs (because Moeen kept playing and missing),” Ashwin told fielding coach R Sridhar on his YouTube channel.
Moeen Ali and Jos Buttler were forging a partnership when Siraj came in and got rid of the former and followed that up by removing Sam Curran for a golden duck to put India on the brink of victory.
“How is he able to use the slope so effectively. Not even one ball pitched on the seam. How is he able to do that?” wondered Ashwin.
Sridhar then revealed that Siraj has been bowling with the scrambled seam only to make the most of the Lord’s slope.
“He’s bowling scrambled seam only. He’s rolling his fingers on the ball because it’s like a newfound toy for him.
“What energy man! Infectious! Kept on charging in and bowled brilliantly using the slope. If left-handers found him, they had no chance,” he said.
Chasing 272 in the fourth innings, England had to bat less than two sessions to defend the Lord’s Test but they failed to do so as India’s pace-quartet demolished their batting line-up.
Apart from Siraj (4-32), Jasprit Bumrah (3-33), Ishant Sharma (2-13) and Mohammad Shami (1-13) also played their part with the ball to help the visitors take a 1-0 lead in the five-match Test series.
The third Test will be played at Headingley from August 25.
