Latest news with #Siraj
Time of India
43 minutes ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Mohammed Siraj on cusp of big milestone as India eye series parity at The Oval
Mohammed Siraj (Getty Images) NEW DELHI: As Team India gears up for the fifth and final Test against England at The Oval, all eyes will be on Mohammed Siraj , who stands just one wicket away from reaching a significant milestone — 200 international wickets. The landmark could come in London, where India are pushing to level the series 2-2 after a morale-boosting draw in Manchester. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! In a series marked by intensity and unpredictability, Siraj's form will be crucial to India's chances. Though he was off-colour during the fourth Test at Old Trafford — leaking 140 runs in 30 overs with just one wicket — his overall contributions across the series remain valuable. With 14 wickets at an average of 39.71, Siraj is India's joint-highest wicket-taker in the series alongside Jasprit Bumrah. Poll Will Mohammed Siraj reach 200 international wickets in the final Test against England? Yes No Across 100 international matches, Siraj has picked up 199 wickets at an average of 29.09, including five five-wicket hauls. Tests have been his strongest format, where he has bagged 114 wickets in 40 matches at 31.84. Four of his five-wicket hauls in Tests have come outside Asia — one each in Australia, England, South Africa and the West Indies — underlining his effectiveness on overseas pitches. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your New Zealand escape starts with Singapore Airlines Fly with Singapore Airlines Book Now Undo Ben Stokes press conference: On Gautam Gambhir fight, injury update, workload, Manchester handshake England have been a productive hunting ground for the pacer. In 10 Tests on English soil, Siraj has taken 37 wickets at 36.16, including a memorable 6/70 at Edgbaston earlier in this series. His last appearance at The Oval came during the ICC World Test Championship final against Australia, where he claimed five wickets, including a four-for in the first innings. With a milestone in sight and the series on the line, India will be hoping for another Siraj's trademark 'Miyan Magic' once again. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
‘We tend to take Mohammed Siraj for granted…': Parthiv Patel hails pacer's heroics in Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy
Jasprit Bumrah could be rested for the fifth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy while England captain Ben Stokes has been ruled out of it altogether. Through all of it, though, Mohammed Siraj is expected to feature yet again for India and lead the pace attack if Bumrah does sit it out. Former India wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel has stated that Siraj has almost been taken for granted while hailing the 31-year-old for his efforts throughout the series. Siraj, who has played in all the Tests of the series, has taken 14 wickets in the series with an average of 39.71 in seven innings and has so far taken 114 wickets in 40 Test matches in his career. While the BCCI medical team has recommended Bumrah not to be considered for the final Test at The Oval starting Thursday, Siraj will be leading the Indian bowling attack. Parthiv hailed Siraj's effort and termed it as 'commendable' 'We tend to take Mohammed Siraj for granted. The effort he puts in, the intensity, and the smile he wears — no matter the match situation — that's commendable,' Parthiv said on the JioHotstar show Gameplan. 'As for Bumrah, we're all aware of how carefully his workload is being managed. It was announced at the press conference that he would play only three Tests, so there are a lot of factors to consider — recovery, fitness, workload. But I would personally want to see him play the final one. Hopefully, the support staff travelling with the team can help him recover in time.' India have kept Kuldeep Yadav out of their playing XI throughout the series. They stayed alive in it with all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, along with earlier herculean efforts from Shubman Gill and KL Rahul, grinding out a draw in the fourth Test. With Bumrah expected to miss the last Test, Patel believes India should play Kuldeep Yadav as an 'attacking bowler'. 'India should approach selection the way they've approached their batting — with confidence. If Bumrah isn't available, India will need another attacking bowler. In this current bowling mix, Kuldeep Yadav offers that attacking edge as a wicket-taker. So from that perspective, I believe India should find a way to include him. Whether it happens or not, I'm not sure — but my opinion is that Kuldeep Yadav should definitely play,' he said.
Hindustan Times
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
‘We take Mohammed Siraj for granted': Gambhir reminded as tireless pacer likely to spearhead attack again in final Test
Mohammed Siraj may not grab headlines as often as Jasprit Bumrah, but his relentless effort and high-voltage spells continue to play a pivotal role in India's campaign in the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. As the five-Test series heads into its decider at The Oval, Siraj's performance has drawn strong praise from former India wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel, who believes the pacer's contributions are often overlooked. India's Mohammed Siraj gestures on the third day of the fourth cricket test match between England and India at Emirates Old Trafford(AP) Despite India trailing 2-1 in the series, Siraj has emerged as the third-highest wicket-taker across both sides, claiming 14 wickets in seven innings at an average of 39.71. Parthiv, speaking on 'Game Plan' on JioHotstar, shed light on the temperament and discipline Siraj brings to the Indian pace attack. 'We tend to take Mohammed Siraj for granted,' he said. 'The effort he puts in, the intensity, and the smile he wears — no matter the match situation — that's commendable.' The Hyderabad pacer has quietly turned into one of India's most dependable bowlers across formats, and his commitment to maintaining pace and aggression even during difficult spells has not gone unnoticed. While his average this series may not suggest complete dominance, Siraj's ability to break crucial partnerships and bowl with energy across long spells has helped India stay in the fight. Bumrah's workload concerns With Bumrah's workload under close scrutiny, Siraj has been expected to step up more than usual, and he has embraced that responsibility. It was reported by ESPNCricinfo last night that Bumrah is set to be rested for the Oval Test, putting the spotlight once again on Siraj, who is expected to lead the Indian pace attack. While there has been no official word on Bumrah's availability yet, Parthiv hopes the premier pacer has a fourth outing in this series at The Oval. 'We're all aware of how carefully his workload is being managed. It was announced at the press conference that he would play only three Tests, so there are a lot of factors to consider -- recovery, fitness, workload. But I would personally want to see him play the final one. Hopefully, the support staff travelling with the team can help him recover in time,' said Parthiv. As India aims to draw the series and share the trophy, a standout performance from Siraj, particularly in the absence of Bumrah, could prove decisive.
The Hindu
20 hours ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Underbowled and underwhelming: the curious case of India's fourth seamer
India is at sixes and sevens when it comes to properly utilising its fourth seam bowler. Of the 672.1 overs bowled by the visitors against England in the four Tests so far, the fourth pacer has delivered just 55 overs. It is not a secret that the current Indian team is big on having as many all-rounders as possible in the playing XI. The fourth seamer has also been selected bearing in mind the player's batting prowess and that's why Shardul Thakur (first and fourth Tests) and Nitish Kumar (second and third Tests) got the nod. Ideally, the captain should have confidence in the fourth pacer's abilities to keep things tight and provide the strike bowlers a breather. But the number of overs given to the 'fourth man' suggests otherwise. It is not as if India did not require the services of its back-up pacer in the series, given that England has batted for more than 80 overs in five of its seven innings so far. After the second day's play at Old Trafford, Shardul was given the unenviable task of explaining why he was not getting to bowl more. 'Usually, the captain takes the call. The player doesn't have much of a say. If we talk about the first Test, he said there was no chance of bowling, and I said okay. As far as this match is concerned, the way the game has progressed, I could have been given two more overs. But there is a lot of time left in the game. Hopefully, I'll get more bowling,' Shardul had said. And the next day's proceedings started with him bowling the first over! However, that proved to be a false dawn as skipper Shubman Gill employed him just for one over and change ends for Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah. Shardul also did not help his case as he had leaked 35 runs in his five overs the previous day. Even with the injury concerns for lead pacers Bumrah and Siraj during the game, Shardul sent down only 11 of the 157.1 overs India bowled in the fourth Test. Intentional Bowling coach Morne Morkel did not shy away from revealing that India relying more on the top speedsters was intentional. 'A bit of a tough fit when you have four seamers... when you're going at five runs an over, I think as a captain, you want to bring the strike bowlers back to try and take the wickets. Unfortunately, it happened for Shardul in the first Test as well,' Morkel said after the third day's play in Manchester. England's marathon first innings had not finished by then and India had to bowl another 22.1 overs to dismiss the hosts. The workload for the fourth pacer on day four of the fourth Test: zero (no overs). Don't put all your eggs in one basket is timeless wisdom; yet, it was almost as if India was happy to pin all its hopes on the main pacers running through the England batting line-up. There's a chance it may work, as it did when Akash Deep and Siraj took 17 of the 20 English wickets to bowl India to a famous victory in the Edgbaston Test. But such a performance should be treated as an outlier and not the norm. As Morkel briefly touched upon during the press conference, the fourth seamer's high economy-rate would have made it difficult for the skipper to depend on the option heavily. The Indian think-tank should have presumed that the Bazballing English batters would target the weak link before turning their attention to the others. Either India was okay with the fourth seamer bowling less, or it was caught blindsided by the Englishmen's aggressive approach to the back-up pacer. Neither option reflected well on the team's decision-making. The Lord's Test was the one occasion where England batted conservatively, and this showed in Nitish's figures. His tally of 17 overs in the first innings of the third Test remains the most by an Indian fourth pacer in the series. Nitish's economy rates in that match (3.64 and 4) read better compared to what the Englishmen plundered off him and Shardul in the series. But to hope that England will use that strategy in every match is not smart thinking. A major part of winning a Test and being a champion side is to have the ability to take 20 wickets consistently. And India will have to be brave in its selection and stop prioritising safety-net runs from the fourth seamer. 'What is coming through for everyone, despite India's heroism with the bat, is that the selections have been quite poor. We saw what Shardul was capable of in the first Test. Despite that, he was picked again. And we saw the repeat of that inclination to have a bowler who can bat a bit. I think that thought has to be dumped,' Sanjay Manjrekar told ESPNcricinfo after the fourth day of the Old Trafford Test. Instead of looking for more runs from its lower-order, what India needs is a crafty bowler who can add depth and variety to the attack. K.L. Rahul, Gill, Washington Sundar, and Ravindra Jadeja's tenacious show in the second innings to earn a memorable draw at Old Trafford has been proof enough that the batting is in good shape and hands. 'It has been hard to understand why India looks to get players who have two skills rather than just go for quality. Kuldeep Yadav not playing so far tells you the approach of this Indian team management. They say that India needs 20 wickets, but it's going to be difficult to convince me, because if that was the case, Kuldeep would have played by now,' Manjrekar added. 'Kuldeep as fourth seamer' Ahead of the fourth Test, former India off-spinner R. Ashwin had suggested that India play left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep 'in the role of the fourth seamer.' As weird as it may sound, there is some merit to the idea. Kuldeep's inclusion would have given another potent weapon for Gill to turn to. It also would have been a safe bet that Kuldeep would bowl more than the 11 overs Shardul did at Old Trafford. 'You should look at Kuldeep as the fourth seamer and play him according to that role. He could come in handy in the second innings and towards the fag end of England's batting. Kuldeep could be a handful even on day one. He can definitely play the role of the fourth seamer,' said Ashwin on his YouTube channel. As Gill's men approach the fifth Test, there are two big questions: will Kuldeep be the 'fourth seamer' and whether the visitors can square the series at The Oval? The answers are just around the corner.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Ricky Ponting pulls no punches at Jasprit Bumrah and Siraj after England pile on 669: ‘You look at his pace…'
Under-cooked, indisciplined, wayward... You generally never associate these with Jasprit Bumrah. He has not risen to an all-time greatness status for nothing. But he is human after all. The fourth Test in Manchester came as the biggest proof of that and unfortunately for India, it came when they were 1-2 down. They desperately needed their best bowler to fire on all cylinders to draw level in the series. As fate would have it, the exact opposite happened. Ricky Ponting minced no words in criticising Jasprit Bumrah For the first time in his glittering Test career, Bumrah conceded more than 100 runs in an innings for only two wickets. That was not even the worst part. It was the ineffective way he bowled right through England's innings. His pace was down. The lines were inconsistent; there was no real thrust going into the ball. Bumrah appeared tired and spent. India's second-best fast bowler Mohammed Siraj, who, unlike Bumrah, featured in all four Tests of this series so far, was no better. Known for giving more than 100 per cent every time he runs in to bowl, Siraj ran out of fuel after the first session of Day 3 as England batters kept on piling the runs. Legendary Australia captain Ricky Ponting minced no words in cracking the whip at Bumrah and Siraj. "That's why the game's called Test Cricket. Yeah, it is a test. It's a physical test, it's a mental test and a challenge. There was always concerns about Bumrah and Siraj really getting through this Test Series with as many games under their belt as possible. You know, this is, I think, the fourth game now for Siraj. So, yeah, they're starting to take its toll. There's no doubt about that," Ponting said on SKY Sports. Siraj bowled 30 overs for just one wicket and conceded 140 runs. Bumrah, on the other hand, picked up a couple of wickets for 1112 runs. Ponting said Bumrah looked flat, his pace was down, and once England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett put the Indian under pressure, there was no counterpunch. "Bumrah did look a bit flat right from the start of this game, to be honest. You look at his pace. His pace has been sort of 82, 83 miles an hour on average right the way through this game, which is probably three or four or five miles down on what he normally is. But you've got to give credit to the England batters as well. I thought Duckett and Crawley at the top really put this Indian bowling attack under a lot of pressure from the start," Ponting said. The Indian team management announced before the start of the series that Bumrah was fit to play only three out of the five Tests, which means it is all but confirmed that the World's No.1-ranked bowler's England tour has ended. He is unlikely to be a part of India's XI going into the final Test at The Oval. Ben Stokes delivered a match-defining all-round performance as England posted a record 669 to take a commanding 311-run lead over India in the fourth Test at Old Trafford. Stokes scored a stroke-filled 141 off 198 balls, completing a rare double of a century and a five-wicket haul in the same match. He also became only the third cricketer with 7,000 runs and 200 wickets after Jacques Kallis and Sir Gary Sobers. India's second innings began disastrously, losing Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan in successive balls in the first over. It marked the first time since 2014 that India conceded 600+ runs.
