Sachin Tendulkar highlights biggest change in Siraj during Jasprit Bumrah's absence: ‘His persistence has been rewarded'

Hindustan Times

6 hours ago

Batting great Sachin Tendulkar lavished praise on Mohammed Siraj for his impressive outing against England in the first innings of the Edgbaston Test. The premier pacer led the charge of the Indian bowling attack in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah and flourished in the role with a six-wicket haul. Siraj raised his hand when everybody was talking about Bumrah not playing, and he ran riot with the ball to dismantle the English batting line-up. He was disciplined with the new ball and hit the right areas to trouble the English batters, who found it tough to tackle him on a flat track. Sachin Tendulkar reserves towering praise for Mohammed Siraj.(AFP and Reuters)
Tendulkar also highlighted Siraj's accuracy and consistency at Edgbaston in towering praise after he claimed a six-fer.
"The biggest change I've noticed in Siraj has been his accuracy and consistency in landing the ball in the right areas. His persistence has been rewarded with 6 wickets. Very ably supported by Akash Deep as well. Well done!" Tendulkar wrote on X.
Siraj was under the scanner before the start of the match as a few critics even questioned his place in the XI after Leeds' underwhelming show, but the 31-year-old silenced his doubters at Edgbaston.
Despite the monumental 303-run stand between Harry Brook (158) and Jamie Smith (184*), which had briefly tilted the balance towards England, Mohammed Siraj held his nerve and stuck to his task. With the second new ball in hand, the pacer showcased his skill and composure, quickly wrapping up the tail. He removed Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, and Shoaib Bashir in a decisive burst that halted England's charge and ensured India regained control at a crucial juncture in the match.
Tendulkar praises 'special partnership' between Brook and Smith
The Indian batting great also reserved praise for England's batting duo - Harry Brook and Jamie Smith for their big centuries, which put the hosts back in the game.
"Special partnership between Brook and Smith who were under pressure and counterattacked beautifully to bring England much closer to India's total than one would've expected," he added.
Meanwhile, under overcast skies, India closed Day 3 at 64 for 1, extending their lead to 244 runs and taking a firm grip on the match with a series-levelling win in sight. The only casualty in the final session was Yashasvi Jaiswal, who fell after a brisk 28. At stumps, KL Rahul remained steady on 28*, with Karun Nair giving him company on 7*. With two full days remaining, the visitors are well-placed to dictate terms and push for victory.