Md Siraj becomes fourth Indian bowler to take fifer in Test at Edgbaston

Siraj took six wickets in total, making it only the second instance of an Indian bowler taking this many wickets in red-ball cricket at this venue

Indian pacer Md Siraj joined the elite list of Indian bowlers to take a five-wicket haul in a Test innings at Edgbaston. Siraj, bowling for India against England in the second Test of the five-Test series, took his fourth fifer in Test cricket to join the likes of Chetan Sharma, Kapil Dev and Ishant Sharma who have taken five wickets in an innings in Birmingham. Siraj took a total of six wickets in the innings, conceding 70 runs—making it the second-best bowling figure for an Indian bowler at this venue after Chetan Sharma’s 6 for 58 in 1986. 

 

Siraj Steps Up as India's Pace Leader

With Jasprit Bumrah rested, Mohammed Siraj embraced the responsibility of leading a young Indian pace attack in the second Test against England. Reflecting on his performance, Siraj said the six-wicket haul felt special, particularly because he had been consistently bowling well without big rewards in recent matches. Having previously only managed four-wicket hauls in Tests, he considered this breakthrough performance a long-awaited personal milestone.

 

Siraj struck early, removing two batters in his second over of the day to leave England struggling at 84 for 5. Though England staged a dramatic recovery through a 303-run partnership between Jamie Smith (184)* and Harry Brook (158), Siraj returned to clean up the tail, finishing with 6 for 70 and ensuring India maintained a strong position.

Discipline and Patience Key on Sluggish Surface

Siraj noted that the Edgbaston pitch was slow and offered little to the fast bowlers, making discipline even more vital. Instead of chasing wickets, his focus remained on maintaining tight lines and not giving away easy runs. He believed the key to success on such surfaces was to avoid overcomplicating things and to stick to basics.

 

With Akash Deep and Prasidh Krishna still new to Test cricket, Siraj was conscious of his role as the senior bowler. He admitted feeling the urge to try different things at times but chose to concentrate on consistency, especially while trying to build pressure from one end. He felt that his leadership role suited him well and said he enjoys rising to the occasion when senior bowlers are unavailable.

India in Command But Aiming for Bigger Lead

By the end of Day 3, India had a commanding 244-run lead, and Siraj stated that while the visitors were in a strong position, the goal was to post as many runs as possible to keep England out of the contest. Acknowledging England’s naturally attacking mindset, he emphasised the importance of building a large target.

 

He also pointed out that the pitch was getting slower with each passing day, which meant bowlers had to be extra cautious. Using the massive Smith-Brook stand as an example, Siraj highlighted how leaking runs could quickly shift momentum. For India to stay on top, he felt that patience and control would be crucial on a surface that demanded both.