"Mohammad Siraj could be a major threat" - Michael Vaughan
Former England captain Michael Vaughan listed Mohammad Siraj as a major threat for England on the final day of the fourth Test match at the Oval. The pacer was far from his best in the first innings and could only scalp the wicket of Jonny Bairstow.
Mohammad Siraj has bowled 6 overs in the second innings so far, but was the most expensive out of the four bowlers used with an economy of 4. Despite looking lackluster in the fixture, Michael Vaughan feels Siraj could be a major threat for England. Vaughan feels Siraj's ability to bowl well on flat tracks with a scrambled seam could be a threat for England. While speaking with Cricbuzz, he said:
"Mohammad Siraj could be a major threat. He looks the kind of bowler that bowls well on flat wickets, makes things happen. We saw that at Lord's. Siraj, who gets a little bit of the scrambled seam and wobble seam. That will be important."
Mohammad Siraj claimed 8 wickets in the Lord's Test to pave the way for a historic win. He fetched 2 wickets in the third Test, where India only had to bowl once.
Siraj not at his usual fiery self in the contest so far
One of Mohammad Siraj's key attributes that arguably sets him apart from the rest is the fire with which he bowls. He has bowled his heart out in the series and his ability to bowl long spells without a drop in intensity has made an impact in the matches he has competed in.
However, in the fourth Test, it looked like fatigue has set in. Both Bumrah and Sirah are the two pacers that have played in every contest so far. Over the course of the series, Siraj has bowled 118 overs, only second on the team to Jasprit Bumrah's 136 overs.
The Test is tantalizingly poised at the moment with all three results still possible. England managed to play out the final session of day 4 without losing a wicket and now need 291 more runs to take the lead in the series. India, on the other hand, need to take all ten wickets to get a result in their favor.