Team India pacer Mohammed Siraj credited fellow fast bowler Akash Deep for playing a key role in his own standout performance during the ongoing second Test against England at Edgbaston. In the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, Siraj (6/70) and Akash Deep (4/88) formed a potent partnership, helping India dismiss England for 407 all out and seize a strong position in the match.
Akash Deep, playing only his second Test, grabbed the opportunity with both hands and was instrumental in applying early pressure—something Siraj acknowledged during an interview with BCCI.TV.
“Akash Deep is like a horse. He was waiting for opportunity and when the opportunity arrived he has shown how hungry he was. To be honest I enjoyed a lot bowling with him. I love when given responsibility. My only goal was not to give runs from my end. I tried to bowl with control as much as possible and keep the batsmen under pressure,” Siraj said.
Akash Deep, on the other hand, also credited Siraj for maintaining pressure from one end, especially while using the second new ball. The duo bowled in tandem to dismantle England’s middle and lower order.
“With the first new ball I got two wickets but Mian (Siraj) played a big role. He kept the pressure from one end. Very important role (Siraj played), we bowled in partnership with the new ball. Enjoyed a lot. The way we made a comeback with the second new ball was special,” said Deep.
While he narrowly missed out on his maiden five-wicket haul, Akash remained unfazed, focusing instead on the team’s needs. “Five wickets will come and go but I never have these things in mind,” he added.
Siraj later spoke about the challenges of bowling on the slow Edgbaston surface, and how he focused on consistency rather than chasing wickets—despite India’s massive first-innings total of 587.
“The pitch was slow, but I knew I had a responsibility. I haven’t played too many matches recently, but with experience, I knew not to try too much. Just keep bowling in the right areas. That builds pressure and changes the atmosphere. I’ve played 38 Tests, so my aim was to bring stability. With 600 runs on the board, I didn’t want to go hunting for wickets – I just wanted to be consistent. I love responsibility, I love challenges. I’ve seen many challenges in life, and I feel I perform best when there’s a burden on my shoulders,” Siraj concluded.
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