Debasis Sen from London
Following the dramatic draw between India and England in the fourth Test at Old Trafford, all eyes are now on the fifth and final Test at The Oval, scheduled to begin on Thursday, July 31. While players like captain Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, and Jasprit Bumrah will take much of the spotlight, fast bowler Mohammed Siraj has been one of the most consistent and hardworking performers for India throughout the series.
The Hyderabad pacer has emerged as the workhorse of the Indian bowling unit, having bowled more overs than any other Indian bowler in the series. Siraj is the only Indian fast bowler to have played all four Tests so far, sending down a total of 139 overs—more than any of his pace-bowling teammates. Jasprit Bumrah, who was rested for the second Test to manage his workload, has bowled 119.4 overs. Meanwhile, Akash Deep has bowled 72.1 overs in two matches, and Prasidh Krishna has delivered 62 overs across two appearances.
In terms of wickets, Siraj has been a key contributor. He currently sits third on the list of top wicket-takers in the series, with 14 wickets at an average of 39.71. England captain Ben Stokes tops the chart with 17 wickets at a stellar average of 25.23, while Bumrah is just ahead of Siraj with 14 wickets in five innings at an average of 26.00.
However, the toll of the long series appeared to show during the fourth Test, where Siraj finished with figures of 30-4-140-1, indicating signs of fatigue. Despite the heavy workload, the 31-year-old remains committed. Speaking to the media at Old Trafford, Siraj said, “Thank God, I have been fit and healthy so far. Yes, there is workload to be considered as per science and if you go by the book how many overs Siraj bowled would be mentioned there.”
He added, “My mindset is to get the best use of the opportunity and win games for India.”
Siraj’s best performance of the series came in England’s first innings at Edgbaston, where he took 6 wickets for 70 runs in 19.3 overs. These are the second-best bowling figures in the ongoing World Test Championship cycle, only behind Mitchell Starc’s 6 for 9 against the West Indies in Jamaica.
With doubts over Bumrah’s fitness for the Oval Test, Siraj’s role becomes even more crucial as India look to draw the series.
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