Mohammed Siraj: The Indian fast bowler continued his red hot form with the ball in hand at the highest level on Day 5 of the second Test.
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During the fifth day of the second Test of the ongoing India’s tour of England at Lord’s, India fast bowler Mohammed Siraj was once again among the wickets after he sent back England all-rounders Moeen Ali (13) and Sam Curran (0) on consecutive deliveries.
Having bowled seven wicket-less overs in the second innings, it was in his second spell that Siraj stood tall to not just pick one but two wickets and, that too, for the second time in the match.
It all happened on the first delivery of the 39th over when Ali edged a Siraj delivery to India captain Virat Kohli at first slip. Having already grabbed and dropped a catch each today, Kohli has had a busy day in the slips.
On the following delivery, Curran’s horror show with the bat in hand in this series continued as he put on display an identical dismissal. However, the catch was completed by India wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant on this occasion. Readers must note that both Ali and Curran were found wanting after not using their feet against an in-form bowler.
It is worth mentioning that it was India fast bowler Ishant Sharma who had dismissed Ali and Curran on back-to-back deliveries in the first innings. Given how Curran has been dismissed for two first-ball ducks in this match, he has registered a “King Pair”. Pair, on the other hand, is when a batsman gets out without scoring (but facing more than one delivery) in both the innings on a Test match.
Chasing a 272-run target, England are in tatters after having lost seven wickets. With almost 16 more overs remaining in the day, it would require a monumental effort on the part of the hosts’ lower-order batsmen to survive against this Indian bowling attack.
Mohammed Siraj send back Moeen Ali and Sam Curran on consecutive balls in Lord’s Test
Two in two 😍😍
Siraj breaks the Ali-Buttler partnership & gets Curran off the next ball 🔥
Tune into #SonyLIV now 👉 https://t.co/E4Ntw2hJX5 📺📲#ENGvsINDonSonyLIV #ENGvIND #MoeenAli #SamCurran #Wicket pic.twitter.com/WeWXVlWYr8
— SonyLIV (@SonyLIV) August 16, 2021
Twitter reactions on Mohammed Siraj:
SIRAJ-UD-BOWLAH
— Sidin (@sidin) August 16, 2021
king pair for curran, 2018 ghosts being buried here! #ENGvsIND
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) August 16, 2021
Curran’s king pair is the 22nd in Tests, first at Lord’s and first anywhere in England since Virender Sehwag at Edgbaston in 2011.
— Association of Cricket Statisticians & Historians (@ACScricket) August 16, 2021
England’s king pairs in Test cricket 🔽
🔹 William Attewell vs AUS, 1892, Sydney
🔹 Ernie Haynes vs SA, 1906, Cape Town
🔹 James Anderson vs IND, 2016, Vizag
🔹 Sam Curran vs IND, 2021, London 👈It’s also the first king pair by a Test batter at Lord’s.#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/mQRX1v33Di
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) August 16, 2021
Mirrored elation 😁#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/P27ZuluV8H
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) August 16, 2021
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