Mohammed Siraj expressed his joy upon receiving the Player of the Match award for his exceptional performance in the second Test against West Indies. The match, unfortunately, ended in a draw due to continuous rain on the final day (July 24).
Siraj, hailing from Hyderabad, credited Indian captain Rohit Sharma for supporting him, which played a crucial role in his impressive figures of 5-60 as he led India to wrap up the West Indies’ first innings with 255 runs.
Despite the challenging conditions for pacers with no substantial assistance from the pitch, the 29-year-old dug deep and gained confidence from his excellent performance. In his post-match interview, Siraj shared his thoughts:
“I’m extremely pleased to receive my first Player of the Match award in Tests. The pitch didn’t offer much to the pacers, but I kept things simple and executed my plans effectively. Taking wickets in such conditions boosts your confidence. Rohit bhai advised me to believe in myself, not feel pressured, and enjoy the game.”
Just reminding you all of this match too, where Siraj has taken a 5-fer. 👏
India lead by 183 going into the 2nd innings! #INDvWIonFanCode #WIvIND pic.twitter.com/xNk2ZAdWrV
— FanCode (@FanCode) July 23, 2023
India secures a 1-0 victory as Mohammed Siraj excels against West Indies
Mohammed Siraj was named the Player of the Match for his five-for in the first innings 👏🇮🇳
📸 Fancode #WIvIND #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/bwGwjgJTMD
— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) July 24, 2023
For those unfamiliar with Siraj’s journey, he has shown remarkable progress since his Test debut against Australia in Melbourne. With 52 wickets in 15 away Test matches, including five-wicket hauls against Australia and West Indies, he has consistently demonstrated his prowess.
Looking ahead, Mohammed Siraj aims to maintain his excellent form in red-ball cricket during the upcoming two-Test series in South Africa later this year. The first Test will be hosted in Centurion on Boxing Day, from December 26 to 30.
In the recently concluded two-Test series against West Indies, Mohammed Siraj was the standout performer with the ball as India secured a 1-0 victory.
He claimed a total of seven wickets in the two games, taking two wickets in the first Test in Dominica, which India won by an innings and 141 runs.
In the second Test, his five-wicket haul played a pivotal role in restricting West Indies to 255 runs in response to India’s 438, allowing the visitors to gain a significant 183-run lead in the first innings.
The match ended with West Indies at 76-2 in their chase of 365 on Day 4, and the final day was washed out, leading to a draw in the second Test.
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