After England high, Siraj reinforces class

If Mohammed Siraj hadn't cleaned up England at The Oval on Day 5 for India’s six-run win, we may well have been alluding to the Anderson-Tendulkar series as being one of missed opportunities and unrealised possibilities for the new-look Indian team. His heart, his grit, his junoon powered the team to a memorable win.

- Rasesh Mandani

Mohammed Siraj took 4/40 in his 14 overs on Thursday.

(AFP)

That is why it is perhaps only fair that the Hyderabadi pacer was offered some benevolence in his next outing. It came in the form of both favourable Day 1 bowling conditions here and inept batting from West Indies. Still, the pacer had to cash in. And cash in he did with a masterclass in accuracy and skill to reaffirm his growing status as India’s go-to fast bowler.

It was Siraj who dented the confidence of the West Indies batters’ early by picking up three of the first four wickets to fall inside the first hour’s play. There was enough help on offer, plenty of bounce and movement in Ahmedabad, certainly more than what Siraj got on offer in the first four Tests of the UK tour. And Siraj capitalised. How? By bowling a full length for 88% of his deliveries. He also kept the balls in line with the stumps or in the proverbial corridor of uncertainty as per statistics available on Cricinfo.