After dominating the play on Day 2 of the ongoing second Test against England at Edgbaston, India had a terrific start to the following day as well, thanks to Mohammed Siraj. The right-arm pacer picked two wickets in consecutive deliveries to dent England's hopes. Siraj had a false start twice on Friday as he missed his run-up on both the occasions. This saw the England fans boo the star India pacer. Even a sarcastic clapping following when Siraj managed to bowl the first ball of his spell on the day in his third attempt.
While the fans tried their best to put pressure on Siraj, he replied in an emphatic manner. The pacer took just two balls from there and then struck twice. He removed Joe Root with a good length delivery down the leg side as the batter found a nick that carried to India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant. Siraj followed it up with a fiery celebration.
WHAT A START! #MohammedSiraj strikes in his very first over of the day, getting the big wicket of #JoeRoot, and needless to say, !
How crucial could this breakthrough be in shaping the innings? #ENGvIND... pic.twitter.com/VReeydN59s
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) July 4, 2025
What followed was a much better delivery that left England captain Ben stokes surprised. A short ball from Siraj produced an edge from Ben Stokes' bat and that catch was also taken by Pant.
England batter Jamie Smith struck a senational century to put the side back in the game before Lunch.
The Three Lions were in all sorts of trouble after losing five wickets for mere 84 runs on the board, coutesy Siraj's twin blows, but they bounced back superbly through Smith and Harry Brook's counter-attack. At Luch, England were 249/5, 338 runs behind India's first-innings 567 built on captain Shubman Gill's superb 269.
Smith smashed 102 not out, scoring his hundred off just 80 balls, including 14 fours and three sixes, while Harry Brook was unbeaten on 91, with the pair having added an unbroken 165 runs for the sixth-wicket in sensational style.
England resumed the day at the score of 77 for 3, with Root (18 not out) and Brook (30 not out). Siraj provided India a dream start on the day before Brook and Smith spoiled the party for the visitors in the first session on Day 3.
India pacer Prasidh Krishna leaked runs in the session, with one of his overs conceding 23. Rest of the Indian bowlers too failed to pick any wicket after Siraj's twin strikes in the session.