'I always believed myself' - Mohammed Siraj emotional speech after match winning performance against England in 5th Test

It was Mohammed Siraj, who around the end of the first hour of the fourth day of the fifth Test between England and India dropped the catch of Harry Brook at Kennington Oval in South London, as the right-handed batter went mad after the tourists to celebrate a fine century along with Joe Root, who registered his third successive century in the series. 

The game was drifting away from India’s hands before Mohammed Siraj came to shoulder the responsibility. He kept bowling for the rest of the final day with his heart out. The pressure was incredible on him in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, whom the management avoided for the deciding effort.  

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‘I was just thinking that I should bowl in the right areas. To be honest, I didn't think that I would take the (Brook) catch and step on the rope. It was a match-changing moment. Yes, I always believed that I would do it for the team.’ Mohammed Siraj expressed his feelings at the end of the game after India earned a six-run victory thanks to his five-wicket haul.

Mohammed Siraj emotional speech after match winning performance against England in 5th Test

In the morning session of the fifth day, Siraj didn’t give up and found the outside edge of Jamie Smith, who, after a few false shots, got an outside edge into the hands of the wicket-keeper. Then came another huge moment in the game when the pacer wrapped Jamie Overton before the stumps as the umpire raised his finger. It was also the last wicket of the victory that he picked to carry them over the line.

‘To be honest, it feels amazing. We wanted to fight hard from Day 1, and to see this result is great. The plan was to keep it simple and hit one spot. When I woke up today, I believed that I could do it.’ Mohammed Siraj said during the post-match presentation.

‘If I had taken that (Brook) catch properly, probably we may not have had to come today. But Brook played well. It was a heartbreaking moment. He was just telling me to middle the ball. Remember your Father and the hard work you have put in to get here.’ He concluded.