Former Indian fast bowler Zaheer Khan feels Mohammed Siraj became dangerous when the ball started moving away from the right-handers. Siraj was at his best on the penultimate day of the second Test match against West Indies at Queen’s Park, Trinidad on Sunday.
The fast bowler got the ball to swing both ways and dismissed Joshua Da Silva, Jason Holder, Kemar Roach, Alzarri Joseph, and Shannon Gabriel. Siraj accounted for Jason Holder and Kemar Roach with the ball moving away from both right-handers as he was successful in producing their outside edges to wicket-keeper Ishan Kishan.
Siraj returned with his best bowling-figures in Test matches as he bagged 5-60 and played a key role in bundling out West Indies at 255, giving a convincing first-innings lead of 183 runs to the visitors.
Zaheer Khan said on Jio Cinema, “Siraj has now been with the team for a while and has been playing that third seamer’s role. Bumrah and Shami were the ones who were carrying the pace attack and Siraj played a defensive role. But here, he got the opportunity of taking the responsibility and he has put his hands up. He is turning into a very fine bowler at this level.”
Khan showered praise on Mohammed Siraj for executing his plans to perfection and bowling in the right areas to reap rewards.
Zaheer further commented, “You have seen his approach with regards to taking wickets has remained the same. You have seen him setting those fields, which are predominantly on-side fields, since he’s looking to attack the stumps. But the moment the ball started going away from the right-handed batter at the end of Day 3, things started changing for him. He must have planned it like that getting into Day 4.”
Siraj bowled Joshua Da Silva in the early phase of the fourth day and set the tone for the rest of the day. Zaheer feels the early dismissal must have given a shot in the arm to Siraj.
“That early breakthrough always helps and when you get that wicket in the first one or two overs, that sets the tone. How fantastically he bowled that spell. He used the variation of the wobbly seam very well. Those deliveries came at an angle where the batters were forced to play. So, as a batter, you can’t just leave those deliveries,” Zaheer added.
India needs eight more wickets to win the second Test match on the final day.
