Was waiting for moment like this for over a year: Siraj on six-wicket haul at Edgbaston

IANS July 5, 2025 416 views

Mohammed Siraj finally got his long-awaited standout performance with a six-wicket haul against England. His disciplined bowling turned the game around after England’s strong partnership. Siraj credited his experience for staying patient under pressure. India now holds a solid lead heading into the next phase of the Test.

"This feeling is unbelievable. I’d been waiting for a moment like this for over a year." – Mohammed Siraj
Was waiting for moment like this for over a year: Siraj on six-wicket haul at Edgbaston
Birmingham, July 5: India pacer Mohammed Siraj said he was waiting for his standout performance for over a year after bagging a six-wicket haul in the second Test against England at Edgbaston on Friday.

Key Points

1

Siraj's 6-70 revives India after England's 303-run partnership

2

Removes Root and Stokes in consecutive balls

3

Credits experience for disciplined bowling under pressure

4

India leads by 244 runs with Rahul unbeaten

Siraj's 6-70 helped India bounce back into the game after a massive 303-run partnership between Harry Brook (158) and Jamie Smith (184 not out) put the host in a strong position. Impressive knocks from the duo pushed England to 407 from 84/5.

"This feeling is unbelievable. I’d been waiting for a moment like this for over a year. I always bowled well but wickets didn’t come. Today, the morning session felt good but still no breakthrough - so these six wickets are really special," Siraj said on JioHotsar.

After Akash Deep castled Brook's off-stump, Siraj chipped in to remove England's tail with wickets of Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue and Shoaib Bashir.

Siraj provided the first breakthrough on the third day with the dismissal of Joe Root (22), followed by a scalp of captain Ben Stokes on the very next ball to put the host on the backfoot. On Day 2, Siraj removed opener Zak Crawley for 19.

Reflecting on the challenging and unfavouring conditions at Edgbaston, Siraj said he loves to perform under pressure and India's mighty first innings total of 587 also provided a cushion.

"The pitch was slow, but I knew I had a responsibility. I haven’t played too many matches recently, but with experience, I knew not to try too much. Just keep bowling in the right areas. That builds pressure and changes the atmosphere. I’ve played 38 Tests, so my aim was to bring stability. With 600 runs on the board, I didn’t want to go hunting for wickets - I just wanted to be consistent. I love responsibility, I love challenges. I’ve seen many challenges in life, and I feel I perform best when there’s a burden on my shoulders," the pacer said.

India lead England by 244 runs after KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal gave them a good start in their second innings. India were 64/1 in 13 overs at stumps on day three. Though Jaiswal fell for 28, Rahul managed to be unbeaten on the same score, with Karun Nair giving him company on seven not out.

Reader Comments

A
Ananya R
While Siraj bowled brilliantly, our fielding was below par today. Dropped catches could have cost us dearly. Hope the team works on this before the next match. Still, kudos to Siraj for single-handedly bringing us back in the game!
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Vikram M
That's the Hyderabadi express we know! 🚂 Siraj's emotional interview shows how much this means to him. After losing his father during Australia tour, he's come so far. True inspiration for all young fast bowlers in India.
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Sarah B
As an England fan, I must admit Siraj's spell was the turning point. His ability to reverse swing the old ball was exceptional. India's pace attack looks really strong now with Bumrah and Siraj leading the charge.
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Karthik V
Siraj's performance proves why we need to persist with players through rough patches. The management showed faith and he delivered. Now let's hope we can wrap up this Test match quickly tomorrow! 🇮🇳
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Priya S
The way Siraj spoke about loving challenges shows his champion mentality 💪 Reminds me of Kapil Dev's attitude. Hope he continues this form in overseas conditions too. India finally has a complete fast bowling unit!

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Mohammed Siraj India vs England Edgbaston Test Cricket Bowling