'Main hi game change karunga': How Mohammed Siraj trusted himself to get the job done for India at Oval

How Mohammed Siraj trusted himself to get the job done for India at Oval (BCCI Photo)

"Mohammed Siraj is a captain's dream." These were the words of India captain Shubman Gill and it speaks volumes of Siraj's contribution, both in the match and the series overall. While workload talks were focused solely on Jasprit Bumrah, who played three out of the five Tests, Siraj silently emerged as India's true workhorse, playing all five Tests, charging in with gusto, something which was also admired by team's bowling coach and former Proteas pacer Morne Morkel.

Siraj efforts helped him finish as the leading wicket-taker from the series, as he registered 23 scalps that featured two five-wicket hauls. The second came in the final innings at Oval, which helped India finish the series with their heads held high.

However, Siraj had a lot to intake during the course of the five matches. He was the final batter to be dismissed at Lord's, when he got out in the most dramatic fashion, leaving him completely dejected. It takes heart of steel to bounce back from such situation and Siraj showed how he has one.

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In fact when asked about his thought process on Day 5 at Oval, as England needed 35 runs and India required four wickets, Siraj said he woke up with a belief "main hi game change karunga" before adding how he quickly went to Google, screenshot a "Believe" emoticon and put it as his wallpaper.

"I told myself that I'll certainly change the game when I woke up today. And then I picked up my phone, googled a believe emoticon and put it as my wallpaper," said Siraj while speaking to the official broadcaster of the series.

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Despite finishing at the top, the ride was topsy turvy and had a moment that made Siraj doubtful of the win. It was the catch of Harry Brook, which he plucked at deep fine leg but in the process touched the boundary rope, handing the English batter a lifeline. The moment did prove costly, which Siraj admitted as Brook combined with Joe Root to stitch a gigantic 195-run stand in the 374-chase. However, once Brook was dismissed for 111 and shortly after Root fell for 105, it was India all over.

Remembering the lapse of concentration on the field, Siraj called it a "hadsa (unfortunate event)" but commended how the team bounced back. "What happened yesterday was an unfortunate event. I thought the match was gone because if Harry Brook would have been out then the team's job would have been much easier. It was a game changing moment but happy with the way we came back," the pacer said.