Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep: Horses for courses to lion-hearted match-winners

Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep: Horses for courses to lion-hearted match-winners (BCCI Photos)

What do you do, if told to do the job after almost getting branded as ineffective when not in the company of Jasprit Bumrah? In a crunch game, after losing the opener of a marquee series, where the lone carrier of the team’s bowling load goes missing? Well, ask the captain for the ball and put in practice what you have learnt over all these years of hard work.

India were fortunate to find two such bowlers, when the chips were down on a flat track at Edgbaston. Mohammed Siraj (6/70, 1/57) and Akash Deep (4/88, 6/99) were indifferent in Australia. The former was off-colour in the first Test in England also. In the end, a lion-hearted performance from these two made the difference between victory and draw in the second Test. Pitch, a delayed declaration and time lost due to rain — the duo helped the team overcome several impediments.

IND vs ENG 2nd Test report: Shubman Gill, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep architect India's first-ever win at Edgbaston

In a Test punctuated by some towering batting performances led by Shubman Gill’s double century and century, it was difficult to stand out as a bowler. None of the other 11 from either side who rolled their arms over made any real impact. Some asked questions in patches. By and large, they were ineffective through the long stretches of play.

Akash and Siraj were different beasts. They ran in with purpose, looked charged up and kept asking questions by unfurling a wide range of skills. High on motivation to be counted when the team looked up to them, they also demonstrated the craft required to make the ball talk on an unresponsive surface. This combination of fire and finesse was decisive and breathtaking to watch.

Akash provided most of the spectacles. Showing great understanding of bowling on benign pitches on last days, he kept looking for the cracks and started hitting them once he located them. With little movement in the air and the ball getting old, finding those spots from where it might behave awkwardly was the key. Smacking Harry Brook on the back leg with one that jagged back a long way to trap him leg-before was the best wicket-taking delivery of the day.

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Siraj is no newcomer in the limelight. Other than starring in the miracle of Brisbane in 2021 with a fifer, he was instrumental in the 151-run win against England at Lord’s later that year with four wickets in each innings. He had not lost his aggro, but the performance to match that had gone missing. As the leader of pace pack in a big game, he was relentless most of the time. Snipping off the tail in the first innings proved vital in the end.

Barring new fitness issues, India head to Lord’s with a win under their belt, knowing that not one or two, they have three fast bowlers that England would be wary of. From shivers down the spine in anticipation of another thrashing in the absence of Bumrah, to a confident bunch bubbling in belief — India cannot thank two brave-hearts enough for this timely turnaround.