Published: Dec 26, 2020, 09:28 PM (IST)
Edited: Dec 26, 2020, 09:28 PM (IST)
Young Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj talked about making his debut for the country in the Test cricket and termed it as his biggest achievement. Siraj became the 298th player to play Test cricket for India as he received his cap from ace spinner Ravichandran Ashwin for the Boxing Day Test against Australia.
Siraj announced his arrival at the biggest stage with an impressive show as he claimed two wickets on Day 1. Siraj dismissed Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Green at crucial stages of the game.
The 26-year-old pacer said he gained a lot of confidence after speaking with stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane and pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah,
“When I got the cap, I felt it was the biggest achievement of my life. I gained a lot of confidence after speaking with Ajju bhai (Ajinkya Rahane) and Jassi bhai (Jasprit Bumrah),” Siraj told bcci.tv.
https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1342794285234618369
Siraj said he was itching to get his hands on the ball before stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane introduced him into the attack after the lunch break of the opening day.
“My hands were itching to bowl out there, and after lunch when Ajju bhai told me to bowl, I began warming up. Then he said to me ‘you’ll only bowl for two overs’,” he said.
“Jadeja was to be brought on and rightly so because there was moisture on the wicket and it was helpful for the spinners.
The pacer said after lunch his plan was to build pressure on Australian batsmen but bowling as many dot balls.
“After lunch when I came in, it had turned into a batting wicket and my plan was to bowl as many dot balls as possible and build pressure.”
Siraj further talked about he gets his wickets of Labuschagne and Green and said in-swing comes naturally to him.
Asked about the inswing, Siraj said: “That is natural. I was trying to come close to the wickets as well as go wide of it. In swing comes naturally to me. To Cameron Green, my away swingers were landing well too.
“After bowling a few inswingers and I bowled two complete overs of outswing. Then I bowled one ball which was the inswinger which got him. It felt nice to set him up and get his wicket,” Siraj said.
