Top 3 best figures by Mohammed Siraj in Test cricketÂ
Mohammed Siraj led Team India off the field at the stroke of Lunch on Day 1 of the second Test against South Africa at the Newlands on Wednesday, January 3.
He silenced the Cape Town crowd after his freakish show with the ball in the first innings. South Africa's decision to bat first backfired big time as they were skittled out for their lowest-ever Test score of 55 runs against India.
Siraj was the star of the day for India as he wreaked havoc by rattling the Proteas batting line-up. He delivered at the uncertain fourth and fifth stump line and consistently threatened the batters.
Siraj ended the innings with magnificent figures of 6/15, which is now his best spell in Test match cricket. On that note, let's take a look at Mohammed Siraj's three best Test bowling figures.
#3 5/73 vs Australia in Brisbane, 2021
![Mohammed Siraj during Australia v India: 4th Test: Day 1 [Getty Images]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/01/ad904-17042805179254-1920.jpg?w=500)
It was Mohammed Siraj's maiden Test five-wicket haul that came in perhaps one of India's greatest Test wins away from home.
The famous Gabba Test win saw Siraj take 5/73 in the second innings, which proved to be a crucial bowling performance in the entire Test series.
After Australia took a 33-run first-innings lead, India needed to restrict the hosts below 300 in order to have a clear chance of winning the tie. However, David Warner (48) and Marcus Harris (38) stitched up a solid opening stand of 89 runs.
Once Shardul Thakur (4/61) broke the deadlock, the Indian bowlers went on top of the game by inflicting crucial blows. Siraj opened up the Aussie middle-order by taking the vital wickets of Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith and Matthew Wade.
He then wrapped up the tail by sending back Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.
With no Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami or Ishant Sharma in the lineup, Siraj spearheaded the bowling attack quite superbly.
#2 5/60 vs West Indies in Port of Spain, 2023
![Mohammed Siraj vs West Indies in 2023 [Getty Images]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/01/cef46-17042817293678-1920.jpg)
Mohammed Siraj had a brilliant 2023 as he ended up as the highest right-arm pacer across formats with 60 wickets in 34 international matches. His best Test performance of the year came against the West Indies at the Queen's Park Oval in Trinidad.
It was the second Test of the two-match series. While India once again missed the likes of Bumrah and Shami, Siraj made sure the job was complete. The Hyderabadi pacer blew away the West Indies lower middle-order and lower-order as West Indies lost their last five wickets for just 26 runs on Day 4.
With his second five-wicket haul in Tests, Siraj also became only the seventh Indian pacer to pick up a five-wicket haul in the West Indies, joining the likes of Bumrah and Kapil Dev.
Siraj's 5/60 helped India take a 183-run lead. Unfortunately for the visitors, a result was not possible as continuous rain ended the match in a draw.
#1 6/15 vs South Africa in Cape Town, 2024
The latest entrant on the list, Siraj's 6/15 is now his best-ever Test match figures.
Siraj came out with a proper plan and utilized the conditions in Cape Town. The bouncy surface saw Siraj hit the right areas as he consistently troubled the Proteas batters.
He first nicked off Aiden Markram's bat before Yashasvi Jaiswal took a brilliant diving catch at the third slip. In his very next over, Siraj took the prized wicket of Dean Elgar, who chopped one onto his stumps.
Siraj challenged both the edges of the bat and was in full control of his bowling. With his aggressive planning and execution, Siraj bowled nine overs consecutively and scalped the likes of Tony de Zorzi, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne, and Marco Jansen.
He bowled three maiden overs and finished the innings with 6/15, the second-best bowling figures by an Indian in a Test in South Africa.