The rescheduled 5th Test against England proved to be quite a ride for the Indian cricket team. They started strongly after a massive total of 416 in the first innings and then restricted their hosts to 284 before taking a dramatic turn.
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In the second innings, India were bowled out for 245, setting England a target of 378 runs to win. Centuries from Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root led Ben Stokes as India beat India by seven wickets to level the five-match series 2-2.
Among those who came under criticism for his poor performance was Mohammad Siraj, who gave a really mixed performance. In the first innings, the pacer took four wickets, but in the second he bowled 15 wicketless overs and also leaked 98 runs.
Former Australia spinner Brad Hogg is happy that India are rotating their players well, giving ample opportunities to Siraj and others despite established stars. However, he defended the 27-year-old’s argument that people tend to forget how well he led India’s attack in Australia despite his lack of experience in international cricket.
“It is a great thing, you are giving opportunities to players like Siraj. He was belted there in that Test match against England, but at the end of the day, they are good lessons for him. Like me coming and going here in 1996, I’ve got to learn a lot more,” Hogg was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.
He continued, “When you say bad things about him because he didn’t have a good match there, you forget what he did in Australia when he led the attack when India were finished. Taking that attack out there won the series for you. So he has a good mindset, has the courage, wants to be in the competition. His tournaments are going to be bad from time to time and that’s a lesson for him.”
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