India vs England: Mohammed Siraj proves he can lead the attack on his own

What does one do when the 'only' player he believes in is unavailable for a crucial fixture? Ask Mohammed Siraj and he would say that he starts believing in himself. Exactly a year ago, as India won the 2024 T20 World Cup, an ecstatic Siraj said, "I only believe in Jassi Bhai," as he credited the victory to the speedster. His now-famous words are being used consistently in the context of Test cricket as India rues the lack of support for Jasprit Bumrah in the pace lineup. However, Siraj passed the litmus test with flying colors when his turn came to lead the pace attack in the second India vs England Test at Edgbaston.

Mohammed Siraj scalps six wickets in the second India vs England Test at Edgbaston

Managing the workload of Jasprit Bumrah has been one of the most crucial aspects of the visitors' planning for the India vs England series. Bumrah can't take the load of bowling across the five Tests in the series, so he would play only three. However, the equation swiftly turned threatening when the Headingley Test went against India. Despite piling up five centuries and over 800 runs, the visitors lost the series opener in Leeds. Meanwhile, the lack of sharpness shown by the Indian bowlers, barring Bumrah, remained one of the major loopholes in India's performance.

Bumrah scalped a fifer in the first innings at Headingley, but the team could not cope against England's attack on the other bowlers. Runs leaked freely on the other end as Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Shardul Thakur proved not only impactless but also costly in the first India vs England Test. Thus, when the guests announced that Jasprit Bumrah would miss the Edgbaston Test, the decision fell under heavy scrutiny. With the chance to level the series early in the onset, Bumrah missing the second Test looked like the recipe for failure.

However, three days into the second India vs England Test in Birmingham, the team has shown its ability to do without their pace spearhead. The new captain, Shubman Gill, starred in the Edgbaston Test with a historic double ton on Day 2. The onus then fell on the bowlers, led by Mohammed Siraj in the absence of Bumrah, to defend the lead set by their captain at Edgbaston. Meanwhile, Siraj, along with Akash Deep, showed his true potential.

Mohammed Siraj scalped a five-wicket haul in the first innings of the Edgbaston Test. India claimed early breakthroughs as Akash Deep dismissed Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope on ducks in the final session. Siraj banked on the pressure, claiming Zak Crawley before the day wrapped up. Day 3, however, brought a storm for the visitors, curated by the English middle-order picks, Harry Brook and Jamie Smith. The young wicketkeeper went all out in his attack, picking a liking to the short-length deliveries and Prasidh Krishna.

Krishna was grilled at a rate of 5.00 runs an over in his spell. Smith, who went on to hit one of the fastest Test centuries for England, smashed 23 runs off Krishna's over at one point on Day 3. As Brook and Smith settled, Siraj remained frugal in his spell. The breakthrough finally arrived in the final session when Akash Deep dismissed Harry Brook. From there, Siraj ran a riot through the English lineup as six England batters went out on a duck at Edgbaston. The seamer, who had claimed Stokes on a golden duck, dismissed the tail-enders, three ducks, as he completed a six-wicket spell.

Stats show Siraj performs better when leading the attack without Jasprit Bumrah

Mohammed Siraj has been flowing under the radar, or rather playing second fiddle to Jasprit Bumrah for far too long. As India grappled with the constant injury scares of Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, who now sits out of the combination, Siraj consistently carried the workload. Now, his returns in the latest India vs England Test show that the seamer isn't just a filler to complete the overs but a lethal pacer who the team can count on.

Interestingly, Siraj, often perceived in the shadow of Bumrah, is statistically noted to perform better when he leads the attack. Playing red-ball cricket with Bumrah, Siraj has scalped 69 wickets across 44 innings, averaging 33.82 with the cherry. Without the assistance of Bumrah, the speedster has clocked in 39 wickets in 26 Test innings, averaging 25.82 and scalping three five-wicket hauls. While Bumrah remains a key figure in the India vs England series, Siraj stepping up and finally proving his mirth is just the positive sign that the visitors needed.