India’s frontline quicks have done jaw-droppingly well in Test cricket in the last few years, so much so that Mohammed Siraj, who has had a great honeymoon period in Test cricket, could miss out on the WTC final XI. Rohit Sankar argues why he should play.
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Setting up Joe Root to perfection in Ahmedabad, surprising Steve Smith with one that shot up off the surface; if you were an ardent cricket fan in the 90s and woke up from an amnesia two decades later to watch Mohammed Siraj running in full steam, his man bun swinging up and down as he wears a queer frown, you’d be forgiven for punting on him as the No.1 bowler in world cricket.
Siraj’s seamless transition from the domestic grind to international cricket has been a wild dream that ran from Australia to India and now flies west to England as his country prepares for the World Test Championship final.
Yet, the glowing words from teammates and critics could come to nothing on June 18 as his place in the WTC XI is far from a given. Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, and Mohammed Siraj are likely battling for two places with Jasprit Bumrah the assured starter in the pace department.
Why is it difficult to accommodate four seamers?
India’s quick bowlers have been outstanding since the beginning of the last overseas cycle in 2018, the same time Jasprit Bumrah made his Test debut.
