“Mohammed Siraj a brilliant future prospect, fits into this team really well” - Salman Butt impressed with Team India pacer
Former Pakistan skipper Salman Butt has termed Team India pacer Mohammed Siraj a brilliant future prospect and someone who fits into the team really well. Siraj claimed three wickets in the Nottingham Test and impressed with his aggression.
Siraj wasn’t chosen in the playing XI for the World Test Championship (WTC) final but with Ishant Sharma unfit, he got a chance to feature in the first Test against England.
Impressed with the Team India fast bowler’s performance, Butt said about Siraj on his YouTube channel:
“Mohammed Siraj may be relatively inexperienced at the Test level but he has played a lot of first-class cricket and has been on A tours as well. The way he bowls, it doesn’t seem like he is a newcomer in Test cricket. He knows what lines to bowl. He is young and has pace as well. The exuberance of youth can be seen when he runs into bowl. Siraj has challenged the batsmen, bent his back and bowled bouncers. He is tall and strong. Siraj is definitely a brilliant future prospect. He is providing the team with wickets and not giving away too much.”
Butt described Siraj as a wicket-to-wicket bowler, who asks difficult questions of the batsmen. The former Pakistan cricketer added:
“He fits into this team really well. I don’t know whether Ishant Sharma was fit or not for the first Test but Siraj was really impressive as was Shardul Thakur. They backed Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami really well. It is because of their fast bowlers that India have started winning Tests away from home.”
"Bumrah has adapted just like world-class bowlers do" - Salman Butt hails Team India’s spearhead
The Nottingham Test also marked a contrast in fortunes for Jasprit Bumrah. The Team India pacer, who went wicketless in the WTC final, claimed nine wickets to keep England on the backfoot.
Speaking about Bumrah, Butt described him as a top-class bowler, who has learnt to adapt quickly. He said:
“If Bumrah bowls this length (fuller) in Australia, he will give away lots of runs. But there he pulls back his length as per the conditions. Bumrah is now an experienced bowler and he is learning very fast, which is why he is a world-class bowler. In England, he is bowling a fuller length. Look at the number of lbws and bowled dismissals he got in Nottingham. The lengths he is hitting proves he has prepared for the conditions in England. He is bowling in the right areas and is getting the ball to swing. He is an all-condition bowler. Bumrah has adapted just like world-class bowlers do.”
The 27-year-old fast bowler picked up 4/46 in the first innings and 5/64 in the second to keep Team India ahead in the contest.