 "Mohammed Siraj picked up four wickets on Day 2 of 5th Test. AP")
Mohammed Siraj’s brilliant performance in the fifth Test against England has not just helped India bounce back in the match, but has also earned him high praise from one of England’s biggest cricket names, former captain Mike Atherton.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Atherton compared Mohammed Siraj to Darren Gough, a fiery fast bowler from his own playing days. He said that Siraj is the kind of player who lifts the whole team with his energy and attitude.
“Absolutely, and the type of cricketer I think that just makes other people rise up as well. We had one way back in my time, Darren Goff, would just make people play better just because of the way they carried on in the middle and in the dressing room actually. When the going gets tough there are some characters that just grow a bit taller. He is one and everybody else will look at him,” Atherton said.
Siraj was on fire in England’s first innings, picking up four important wickets. Thanks to his efforts, India managed to bowl out England for 247, despite the hosts getting off to a great start. The lead was just 23 runs, which gave India a big boost going into the second innings.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsWith this performance, Siraj also became the highest wicket-taker of the series, going past England captain Ben Stokes. It’s been a memorable series for Siraj, who has consistently delivered for India, especially in tough moments when senior bowler Jasprit Bumrah is absent.
Prasidh Krishna also picked up a four-wicket haul, while Akash Deep took one to his name. This after India were bowled out for 224 in their first innings.
India have mounted a strong comeback on Day 3, thanks to a dominant batting display led by Yashasvi Jaiswal and a surprise counterattack from nightwatchman Akash Deep. The visitors reached 189/3 at lunch, stretching their lead to 166 runs. Shubman Gill and Jaiswal will continue India’s fightback after the break.