Mumbai, Aug 6: India pacer Mohammed Siraj on Wednesday landed in Mumbai from London after playing a stellar role in his team’s 2-2 draw in the just-concluded Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England.
Siraj was the leading wicket-taker in the five-match series with 23 scalps.
The 31-year-old arrived in the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport terminal dressed in dapper black casuals, as a small group of fans gave him a joyous welcome.
There were requests for selfies and autographs but Siraj quickly trooped into a car and left the airport, possibly to the domestic terminal to catch the connecting flight to Hyderabad, his home town.
“We have not spoken to him yet. But we will certainly plan something (felicitation) for him, as he could be in the city for a while now. It’s a matter of pride for all of us that he did so well for the country in the series against England,” a Hyderabad Cricket Association official told PTI.
Siraj’s most definitive effort came on the fifth day of the final Test at the Oval, helping India bowl out England for 367 in the chase of 374.
Siraj took five wickets in the innings to complete a match-haul of nine wickets in that match.
The six-run win, the slimmest in India’s Test history, earned the visitors a highly admirable 2-2 draw in the series.
India skipper Shubman Gill was delighted to see Siraj stepping up in the absence of premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who was rested from the Oval Test as per the workload management plan.
“He [Siraj] is a captain’s dream, every ball, every spell he bowled he came all out and gave it everything for the team,” said Gill after the fifth Test.
On his part, Siraj said he always had the belief of taking his team to victory on the final day at the Oval, as the visitors needed to pick up four wickets while defending a paltry 35 runs.
“I always believe that I can win the game from any point, and this morning was no different,” he had said. (PTI)
