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Team India skipper Rohit Sharma has showered praise on fast bowler Mohammed Siraj following his five-wicket haul in the first innings of the second Test against the West Indies in Trinidad.
Siraj bowled a fiery spell in the morning session of Day 4 as the visitors picked up the remaining wickets for just 26 runs. Mukesh Kumar drew the first blood with the second new ball before Siraj picked up four wickets to finish with figures of 5/60, his best-ever in Test cricket.
Siraj's spell helped India secure a sizeable first-innings lead which enabled them to push for the win. However, rain played spoilsport as the final day was abandoned, resulting in a draw.
At the post-match presentation ceremony, Rohit spoke highly of Siraj.
"Siraj, I have been watching him closely. He's taken such a giant step. He has led this attack. I don't want anyone to lead the attack. I want everyone to lead when they are having the ball in their hand. You want the entire pace battery taking the responsibility," the skipper said.
In the absence of Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah, Siraj has shouldered additional responsibilities. He has bowled his heart out every time and has been Rohit's go-to bowler across formats in recent times.
"You need guys like Ishan [Kishan] - Rohit Sharma praises young wicketkeeper-batter
Ishan Kishan was preferred ahead of KS Bharat for the wicketkeeper's role in the recently concluded two-match Test series against the West Indies. While Kishan hardly got to bat in Dominica, the left-handed batter made his presence felt in the second innings of the Trinidad Test, smashing an unbeaten fifty off just 34 deliveries.
Rohit Sharma heaped praise on the young wicketkeeper-batter, saying:
"You need guys like Ishan (Kishan). We wanted quick runs, we promoted him, he wasn't afraid. He was the first one to put his hand up. In Test matches, you need guys who stabilise the innings like what Virat (Kohli) did, he played superbly. You need the mixture of everything. We have depth, we have got variety. We are in the right place. It's about getting the job done."
After winning the two-match Test series by a 1-0 margin, India will now shift their focus to the three-match ODI rubber, which gets underway on Thursday, July 27.
