Former Indian pacer Ashish Nehra has picked Mohammed Siraj as the third pace bowling option over the experienced pace duo of Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma for the opening Test of the upcoming three-match Test series against South Africa, starting on December 26 in Centurion.
He further said that Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami are the two automatic choices in India’s pace attack and feels Siraj “could be the guy” for Team India in the upcoming Boxing Day Test against South Africa, given his recent performance with the ball.
Apart from Umesh, Ishant and Siraj, there is also Shardul Thakur, but India may select him as an all-rounder in the line-up due to his batting abilities in the first Test in Centurion.
Nehra told Telegraph India: “Look, I feel Bumrah and Shami are the two automatic choices in India’s pace attack. Talking of the third pacer, Mohammed Siraj could be the guy.”
He further explained, “Ishant (Sharma) was injured and left out of the second Test versus New Zealand (in Mumbai), while Siraj did fairly well in that game. It also depends on the team management’s thought process and game plan, and who’s looking sharper at nets. But the good thing is the number of options India have as far as their pace battery is concerned.”
Nehra concluded, “They even have someone like Umesh (Yadav), who’s super-experienced now with the number of Test matches (51) he has played so far. So it’s a good situation the team finds itself to be in.”
