“I am only believe in Jassi bhai because game-changer player he is only one Jasprit Bumrah,” Mohammed Siraj uttered these words when India lifted the 2024 T20 World Cup. This line has become a meme, not because Siraj didn’t use perfect English and people wanted to mock him for it, but because what he said was what everyone was thinking about Bumrah’s herculean effort.
Siraj magic at the Oval
About 13 months later, these same lines can be uttered about Siraj. In his own words, he is a game-changer. Without Bumrah by his side, the emotional fast bowler had immense responsibility on his shoulders. He wasn’t buried under the weight of expectations at Edgbaston, and the same happened at the Oval.
Siraj was the only pacer to play all the India vs England Tests. Before the final game, he’d already delivered 139 overs. But he was willing to do anything for the team since the scoreline was 1-2 and India could still level the series. Despite a great start, Siraj restricted England from 142/3 to 247/10.
With a 374-run target set, it was he who got the first wicket. The third belonged to him. And despite bowling his heart out, he wasn’t lucky enough to get more. He bowled 22 further overs on Day 4. With 35 runs needed and 4 wickets to be taken, Siraj delivered one of the best spells you’ll see. He ended with a magic 5-wicket haul and the series was levelled at 2-2.
Kohli lauds Siraj
After the miraculous victory, Virat Kohli, his first and favourite captain, took to X (formerly Twitter). He applauded the efforts by the pacer for putting everything on the line for the team.
“Great win by Team India. Resilience and determination from Siraj and Prasidh has given us this phenomenal victory. Special mention to Siraj, who will put everything on the line for the team. Extremely happy for him,” Kohli wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Kohli isn’t very active on social media, but took his time to celebrate Siraj, someone whom he backed throughout his captaincy. And Siraj was quick to thank him.
