Gargi Raut at Eden Gardens
A bowler known for going all out. All heart, all intensity and all fierceness, is how I would like to describe Mohammed Siraj. A player on the field who refuses to give up till the last ball is bowled and someone who believes in second chances. Ahead of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in England only months ago, there was a certain perception that Team India had only one breakthrough fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah. But Siraj turned the narrative around with his perseverance, bowling a historic spell at the Oval in the final 58 minutes on Day 5 of the last Test match, one that will be remembered by Indian and English fans and pundits alike. Throughout the series he made comeback after comeback; just when you lost hope, Siraj struck. And that is precisely what the 31-year-old fast bowler did again today.
In the first spell, Siraj was far too expensive with the new ball, giving away 25 runs in the first three overs that he bowled. He was hit by the South African openers for five boundaries before he was taken off the attack, bringing Axar Patel in to bowl from the High Court End. But it was only a matter of time before he returned from the Dressing Room End to undo the South African batting line-up, scalping two wickets in one over. This is a pattern in Siraj’s bowling that we have seen often: a wayward first spell and a brilliant resurgence in the second.
On the morning of the first day of the Test match, it was the lack of consistent line and length that made the bowler so ineffective, even with the new ball. Siraj, while speaking in the post-match presentation, said that the bounce was slightly unpredictable from the Dressing Room End, hinting that the change of ends and the ball going soft could have had a part in his penetration during the second innings. Not only that, Bumrah too offered his advice.
“Jassi bhai told me the wicket-taking options are an LBW, bowled and catches if you bowl at the stumps,” said Siraj after stumps.
In many ways, today’s spell too was quintessentially Siraj. It was raw, emotional, yet ultimately effective. He may blow hot and cold, as history suggests; if he frustrates with one bad over, he will inspire in the next. But one thing is for certain: whenever India need a man at the frontline, Siraj puts his hand up. Whenever India need a spark, or fierceness or deathly stares at the batters, Siraj will come forward and yesterday was no different.
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