“It’s all his way of creating an atmosphere” - England star’s massive statement on Mohammed Siraj after ENG vs IND 2025 Tests

England star Joe Root believes Team India pacer Mohammed Siraj's aggression on the field is a method he uses to create an atmosphere and put the opposition under pressure. The duo had several absorbing battles in the recent India-England five-Test series that ended in a 2-2 draw.

Root was the second leading run-scorer in the series with 537 runs at an average of 67.12, including three centuries, in five Tests. Meanwhile, Siraj was the star with the ball across both teams, finishing with a series-leading 23 wickets at an average of 32.43, including two 5-wicket hauls.

Talking about Siraj and the other Indian players off the field in a conversation on the Barmy Army TV YouTube channel, Root said (18:43):

"I don't know most of them really well but a lot of the stuff you see on the screen (sledging), it's all for show. Someone like Siraj, it's all his way of creating an atmosphere, whether it be from the crowd or from his team mates. Trying to create some form of pressure and theatre that might give them a small edge. That's the art of the game and the best person that's ever done it was Shane Warne."

Siraj produced his best performance in the final innings of the fifth Test at the Oval with figures of 5/104, helping India level the series with a thrilling six-run win.

"I just thought he was not going to expect me to go back at him" - Joe Root on his altrecation with Prasidh Krishna

Joe Root and Prasidh Krishna got into it during the final Test at the Oval [Credit: Getty]

Joe Root opened up on his altercation with Prasidh Krishna in the first innings of the final Test at the Oval. With the game hanging in the balance after India scored 224 in their first innings, Krishna and Root got into it in the 22nd over of England's innings.

"The first ball he hit me hard on the finger and I was trying not to show any sort of emotion about it. And then I hit him for a four the next ball or the ball after and he said something to me. I have no idea what he said. I just thought he was not going to expect me to go back at him. There was an element of still being in a reasonable amount of pain. I think the situation kind of required it as well, where we were in the game. It was quite a bowler friendly surface and it was overcast," said Root (via the aforementioned source).

He added:

"It was trying to find a way of almost creating a bit of chaos and scramble in their mind. I might have mentioned that he was going at six an over. It was on the board so I could read it. It always gets dramatized and gets blown up to be something bigger than it is. And sometimes that can be slightly frustrating as a player, whichever side of it you are on. It's just about understanding that things aren't as bad or good as they seem to be."

Prasidh had the last laugh as he finished with eight wickets in the match and helped the visitors pull off a series-leveling victory. Root impressed with a brilliant century in the second innings. However, Prasidh dismissing him turned things on its head in England's fourth innings run-chase.