London,AUG 4
India’s powerhouse Mohammed Siraj earned the respect of England’s rising sensation Harry Brook and captain Ben Stokes for the sheer effort that he has put in throughout the five Tests of the inaugural Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.Siraj redefined the concept of workload management, bowled his heart out across the five Tests and concluded the series as the leading wicket-taker. Siraj’s determination and perseverance resonated in the 1113 deliveries he bowled in five Tests to scalp 23 wickets at 32.43.When India stood in dire need of a wicket, Siraj rose to the challenge and struck the decisive blow and even elongated his spells for a smoother rotation. In the absence of the world’s best Jasprit Bumrah, who was restricted to three Tests, the 31-year-old took the responsibility of being the leader of the pacers pack.On the final day of the fifth Test, England stood 35 runs shy of gunning down the 374-run target and clinching a 3-1 series win with four wickets in hand. Siraj’s relentless spells, with sharp nipping deliveries, served as the beacon of India’s six-run victory at The Oval for ages. The success that Siraj “deserved” left Brook and England “devastated” after settling for a 2-2 draw.”We came into the day very confident. We had two very good players out there, and I thought we were going to easily see it home. But the way the Indians fought back and the way Siraj bowled, it deserved every success,” Brook said after being named England’s Player of the Series.
