‘He could be our No. 1 Test Bowler’ Ravichandran Ashwin on Mohammed Siraj

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India] August 5: Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin urged Gautam Gambhir and Shubman Gill, the captain, to look after Mohammed Siraj. He told them to take care of our no. 1 bowler. Mohammad Siraj led India to a famous win at The Oval stadium. India was playing England in the last Test match of the series, Siraj's heroics helped India to win the thriller. He took a total of 9 wickets in the match, which includes a fifer in the crucial second innings. With this win, India levelled the series at 2-2.

Ashwin, who retired from international cricket in December 2024, said Siraj has not been recognised for his efforts in the past, and the time has come for the pacer to get all the acknowledgement he deserves.

Siraj stepped up in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah as he led the pace attack really well, finishing as the leading wicket-taker in the series with 23 wickets.

Ravichandran Ashwin on Mohammed Siraj 

“We failed to recognize Mohammed Siraj. The time has come to recognise him now. He once again put his hand up; he has given a compelling reason. Just look at his celebration, it seems as if he is saying, 'This is not the trailer. This is the main picture itself. He is saying, ‘Please consider me as a match winner.’ He is reminding us what a champion bowler he is. His bowling action, his technique and good work ethic are allowing him to play all five Tests in a series,” said Ashwin on his YouTube channel. 

“He is also growing old. It is important for the team management to rest him as well from inconsequential matches. He could be your No.1 Test bowler; he could be your go-to Test bowler. We have to rebuild the bowling attack. Akash Deep is there, Prasidh Krishna is there, Arshdeep Singh is there. Around Mohammed Siraj and his experience, we have to build it,” he added.

The right-arm speedster delivered 187 overs in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, bowling the most overs by any bowler in the recently concluded series.

Siraj witnessed a plethora of emotions in the entire series against England. He saw pure agony after India suffered a defeat in the Lord’s Test. He played a forward defence off the bowling of Shoaib Bashir, but the ball rolled back onto the stumps, leading to the hosts’ victory. 

The pacer then failed to take Harry Brook’s catch on Day 4 of the Oval Test, and the batter made India pay by smashing 111 runs. However, Siraj stepped up when India needed it the most as he took the final three wickets out of the remaining four on Day 5.