Former England captain Nasser Hussain has lauded Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj for his consistent and tireless performances throughout the series. He drew a comparison between Siraj and his ex-teammate Darren Gough, highlighting Siraj’s ability to lift the team during crucial moments.
Hussain admired Siraj’s resilience, especially given the physically demanding conditions for fast bowlers on both sides. Siraj currently shares the top spot on the wicket-takers’ list in the series with 19 wickets at an average of 34.36. With two days left and eight wickets to take, Siraj has a strong chance to finish as the leading wicket-taker.
The 31-year-old has already delivered 159.1 overs and played a key role in ending Day 3 on a high by dismissing Zak Crawley with a pinpoint yorker. In his column for The Daily Mail, the 57-year-old Hussain described Mohammed Siraj as an ideal bowler any captain would want in their side.
“With Chris Woakes going down injured for England, Siraj is the only fast bowler who has lasted the course of the series and put in spell after spell. He is the sort of bloke a captain absolutely loves. He lifts the team. I always talk about Darren Gough being that sort of person when I was England captain, and Siraj is that man for India.”
Nasser Hussain Acknowledges India’s Strong Fight Against England
Nasser Hussain further noted that Team India has proven their resilience and competitiveness by taking the match down to the wire, even in the absence of star players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. He went on to add:
“I have been hugely impressed with the character and fight they have shown throughout this series. Some people thought they might roll over after the way they lost at Headingley, but they have since shown what a tough side they are to beat.”
“They have won as many sessions as England, if not more. They have just been found wanting in some of the crucial moments. It is especially impressive when you consider they lost legends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli right before the series.”
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