Not Jasprit Bumrah, Pakistan Great Wasim Akram Calls This India Star Bowler 'The Best'

Mohammed Siraj was the pick of the India bowlers in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. He bowled tirelessly to finish as the top wicket-taker among the bowlers in the two teams. He bowled a whopping 185.3 overs to scalp 23 wickets with two five-wicket hauls. With Jasprit Bumrah playing only three of the five Tests as part of the workload management, Siraj took on the charge of being the leader of the Indian pace pack. On the last day of the fifth Test, with India needing four wickets to win the match and draw the series, Siraj stepped up and cleaned up England's lower order batters to hand the side a thrilling six-run win.  

Wasim Akram, Pakistan great and one of the most lethal pacers in the history of the game, was impressed by Siraj and termed his performance as “the best" he has seen in the recent past.

"I rarely watch cricket when I'm not working, but I was glued to the last day. Siraj was full of hunger and passion – it was an incredible effort. To bowl nearly 186 overs across five Tests and still be that fiery on the final day shows remarkable stamina and mental strength. He's not just a support bowler anymore. He's leading the attack and doing it with heart. Even when a catch went down– that of Brook – he didn't lose focus. That's the mark of a fighter. Test cricket is alive and kicking," Akram said in an interview to Telecom Asia Sport.  

Akram went on to day he always considered Indi the favourites on the final day. "I gave India a 60 per cent chance on Day 5. They just needed that first breakthrough. With Woakes injured and India sensing blood, it was game on. Siraj made it possible."

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team England Cricket Team Pakistan Cricket Team Wasim Akram Jasprit Bumrah Mohammed Siraj Cricket