Irfan Pathan Praises Indian Pacers for Stellar Performance in Final Test
Outstanding Bowling by Indian Pacers
London [UK], August 2: Irfan Pathan, the former Indian cricketer, expressed his admiration for pacers Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna following their impressive four-wicket performances against England during the second day of the fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at The Oval.
Siraj emerged as the key player, taking down England's captain Ollie Pope, the world’s top Test batsman Joe Root, Jacob Bethell, and Harry Brook. He concluded the day with remarkable figures of 4/62, while Krishna also shone with a commendable 4/80. Akash Deep chipped in with one wicket as well.
In a post on X, Pathan praised the duo, stating, “When you entrust Mohammed Siraj with the responsibility of leading the bowling attack, he consistently delivers. Those four wickets will significantly boost Prasidh Krishna's confidence.”
Siraj also celebrated a personal achievement, reaching 200 international wickets across all formats. In his 101 matches, he has secured 203 wickets with an average of 28.94 and an economy rate of 4.11, boasting best figures of 6/15 against Australia.
Currently, Siraj leads the wicket-taking charts in the ongoing series against England, having claimed 18 wickets in five matches at an average of 25.23 and an economy of 3.06, with his best figures being 6/70.
As for the match situation, Yashasvi Jaiswal played a crucial role in ensuring India finished the second day on a high note.
By the end of the day's play, India stood at 75/2, with Jaiswal (51*) and night-watchman Akash Deep (4*) remaining unbeaten, leading by 52 runs. England had posted 247 in their first innings, while India managed 224. However, the exceptional bowling from Prasidh Krishna (4/62) and Mohammed Siraj (4/86) thwarted England's chances of a significant lead, causing a batting collapse.
The final session commenced with England at 215/7, featuring Harry Brook (33*) alongside Gus Atkinson, a capable lower-order batsman.
Brief Scores: England: 247 (Zak Crawley 64, Harry Brook 53, Prasidh Krishna 4/62) vs India: 224 and 75/2 (Yashasvi Jaiswal 51*, Sai Sudharsan 11, Gus Atkinson 1/26).