Mohammed Siraj once again proved why he is India’s most lethal pacer in red-ball cricket, delivering a fiery spell that floored West Indies on Day 1 of the first Test 2025.
The Hyderabad pacer produced a sensational 4/40 as the hosts were bundled out for just 162 in 44.1 overs. Riding on Siraj’s brilliance, India closed the day at 121/2, trailing by only 41 runs.
Speaking after his game-changing spell, Siraj admitted that the green-top wicket motivated him. “I was very excited to bowl on this pitch because we rarely get such wickets in India. The last time I bowled on something similar was against New Zealand in Bengaluru,” he said.
Siraj’s spell rattled the West Indies top order early. His trademark wobble seam deliveries caused havoc, including the standout dismissal of Brandon King, whose middle stump was sent cartwheeling after he mistakenly shouldered arms. “Two balls earlier he was hit on the pads. I planned to attack the stumps, and it worked exactly as I wanted,” Siraj explained.
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He also claimed the wicket of skipper Roston Chase with a beauty. “With wobble seam, the ball can come in or move away. But this delivery straightened off the shiny side, and even I was surprised,” Siraj said with a smile.
Reflecting on his performance, Siraj credited his confidence to the recently concluded 2-2 Test series in England, where he bowled with consistency against top-class batters. “Performing in England against a strong team gave me a lot of belief, and I carried that confidence here as well,” he said.
But Siraj made it clear that his four wickets were not easy. “I had to work hard for these four wickets. Even in England, I worked hard for every success. No one is going to hand you wickets — you have to earn them. Today also, no one gave me the fifth wicket, I had to fight hard for the four I got,” he summed up.
With Siraj leading the charge and India’s batters off to a strong start, the visitors look in control of the Test after a dominant opening day.
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