Boria Majumdar at the MCG
You want some players to do well. Mohammed Siraj is one such. He hasn’t been himself this series and, as Sunil Gavaskar said, could well have been rested in Sydney were it not been for today’s effort. With India under the pump having conceded a 105-run first innings lead, Siraj needed to step up in Australia’s second innings. Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep had bowled their heart out, and the onus was on Siraj to make sure the pressure wasn’t released. His second over did not give much hope. A freebie on Marnus Labuschagne’s pads and then one to Usman Khawaja which went for a couple – Siraj was starting to leak runs yet again.
But then, something happened in his third over. Something from within perhaps. Whatever it was, Siraj was a very different bowler from that moment onwards. A peach to dislodge Khawaja, and the spell was one bowled with intensity and heart. He was matching Bumrah for hostility, and Australia just couldn’t get him away. It meant the pressure was squarely back on the Australian batters, and Bumrah had support.
Siraj is one who is capable of bowling long spells, and that was a huge thing for captain Rohit Sharma. And when he starts to pick up wickets, it means the pressure is on from both ends. Post-lunch, it was Siraj who dismissed Steve Smith and opened the door for Bumrah to come in and bowl the spell of the match. Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh and Alex Carey all fell in quick time, and India were spitting fire.
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But that was when a partnership started to form. Labuschagne and Pat Cummins added some hugely important runs for Australia and steadied the ship to an extent. India desperately needed a breakthrough with the old Kookaburra, a task much easier said than done. Yet again, it was Siraj. Bowling with serious venom, he managed to trap Labuschagne lbw and Australia weren’t able to score at a fast clip thereafter. That’s what helped India.
Valuable time was eaten up and Australia were forced to be circumspect. Siraj, by picking up three wickets, had backed Bumrah up wonderfully well and, in doing so, made sure that all three results are possible on day 5. For a team that had a 105-run lead, Australia’s plan must have been to score 250 in quick time and get India in for at least an hour so that they could have two cracks at them with the new cherry. Australia could do none of that because India’s bowlers were at their best today. And it wasn’t Bumrah alone. Siraj was an equal participant, and that’s what made all the difference.
I am not claiming that Siraj is back to his best. But what this spell has done is give India hope. Our favourite Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) is doing his best to get back in rhythm. The two deliveries – one to Khawaja and the other to Labuschagne – were almost unplayable and, from an Indian standpoint, were extremely good signs ahead of Sydney. An in-form Siraj is a special player, and can make a massive difference in the New Year Test. For now, it is fair to say that his father would have been delighted to see Siraj bowl the way he did today, with pace and guile.
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