India vs England: Sledging could light up Manchester Test, Mohammed Siraj warns
The third Test at Lord's brought the fire to the five-match series. The visitors, led by Shubman Gill, didn't hesitate to charge at the hosts in the India vs England Test. When it came to England, the team kept the banter up before clinching a narrow 22-run victory. Now, England stands 2-1 ahead in the series as the proceedings reach the Manchester Test, a do-or-die fixture for India. While the stakes could not be any higher for the touring side, Mohammed Siraj has promised to keep the fire alive in the fourth India vs England Test.
Mohammed Siraj isn’t likely to shy away from sledging in the fourth India vs England Test
Mohammed Siraj is not new to the fiery side of Test cricket, with the pacer being the kind inspired by hostility in the game. In the Border Gavaskar Trophy late last year, Siraj faced ICC's ire for his nasty send-off to Travis Head in the second Test of the five-match series. However, ICC's sanctions don't seem to hinder the pacer's natural game. The third India vs England Test witnessed Siraj's quintessential amped-up avatar on Day 4 of the thrilling contest at Lord's.
The groundwork for Siraj's aggressive conduct was laid a day earlier. Zak Crawley managed to get under the skin of the visitors with his antics to stall the game late on Day 3. Crawley's attempt to sabotage the remaining day's play drew an extreme reaction from Shubman Gill. The young Indian captain lost his calm, gesturing at the English opener to, "grow some fu***** ba***." The heated interaction made the script clear for what the remaining days of the Lord's Test would look like.
Mohammed Siraj struck first the next day, dismissing Ben Duckett cheaply as the opener attempted a lap shot early in the innings. The dismissal was followed by Siraj celebrating his strike right in the face of Duckett as the batter returned to the dugout. Siraj's fiery celebration caught the attention of the apex council. ICC sanctioned a 15% deduction in the pacer's match fees, additionally handing him a demerit point. However, despite the reprimand of the council, Siraj is ready to keep the act up if the situation demands it in the upcoming matches as well.
India would head to the Manchester Test with the sole aim of keeping the series alive. The do-or-die encounter demands the visitors claim their first-ever Test victory at Old Trafford. Shubman Gill and Co. would back their chances, having breached the record in the series already when they won the Edgbaston Test to clinch their first Test victory in Birmingham. While the stakes are high, India will not be pushed into a shell.
The culmination of the Lord's Test brought significant scrutiny for the side, especially Shubman Gill. The fraternity wondered whether the young captain is proud of his conduct against Zak Crawley on Day 3. Siraj endured first-hand heat from ICC itself. However, both the pacer and the skipper didn't back down on their doings in the fixture. Siraj, addressing the press ahead of the fourth India vs England Test in Manchester, explained how the scene sets up before the expression of aggression ultimately happens.
“There’s no pre-planning. It happens in the moment. If a batter’s in the zone, you try to disturb him and get into his head. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. But as a fast bowler, it’s fun," Siraj explained.
The media further grilled the Indian speedster, asking whether similar scenes could be anticipated from the Manchester Test also. Mohammed Siraj, who had already explained that picking on the batters with jibes is not a pre-planned move, gave a cheeky reply. The equation remains simple for India and Siraj. If a similar lead-up sets up at Old Trafford, it is very likely for the team to emulate the scenes from Lord's to Manchester.
“Maybe. Depends on the situation. A little bit of chatter can shake things up," the pacer replied.
