In a thrilling display of pace and persistence, India’s bowling unit—spearheaded by Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep—stormed through England’s batting line-up, picking all ten wickets between them in the first innings of the second Test match. The hosts were eventually bundled out for 407 in response to India’s imposing 587, with Siraj leading the attack in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah.
Siraj, sharp and relentless from Day 2, claimed a remarkable 6-wicket haul, while Akash Deep, filling in for Bumrah, made a strong impact with four crucial wickets. At one point, England were reeling at 84/5, but a counter-attacking partnership between Jamie Smith (184*) and Harry Brook (158) steadied the innings with a 300+ stand that nearly brought the visitors back into the contest.
Yet, the damage had been done early, and once Akash removed Brook, Siraj wrapped up the tail in style. Legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar lauded the bowling pair, stating, “This is new India, this is aggressive India,” in celebration of the team’s fearless brand of cricket.
With such performances, India is not just defending home turf but redefining its fast-bowling legacy, even without its marquee pacers on the field.