The boy has become a man on this tour: Mohammed Siraj gets ultimate compliment from Virender Sehwag

Mighty impressed with rookie Mohammed Siraj’s growth on the ongoing tour of Australia, former India cricketer Virender Sehwag paid a massive compliment to the pace bowler.

Taking to his Twitter account, Sehwag described Mohammed Siraj as a boy who has turned into a man during the course of the 2020/21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

The former India cricketer pointed out that circumstances pitchforked Mohammed Siraj into the limelight as the leader of the pace attack, and the 26-year-old rose to the occasion.

Sehwag also lauded the other newcomers (Shardul Thakur, Washington Sundar and T. Natarajan), stating that their performance will be remembered for a very long time.

Sehwag thinks it is only fitting that Team India goes on to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, in the wake of India’s brilliant performance against all odds.

The boy has become a man on this tour. Siraj, Leader of the attack in his first Test series and he has led from.the front. The way newcomers have performed for India on this tour will be etched in memories for a long long time. Will be fitting if they retain the trophy. pic.twitter.com/8bRvMI1iwR

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) January 18, 2021

Mohammed Siraj’s claims maiden five-for at the Gabba

Mohammed Siraj was India’s standout performer at the Gabba on day four with figures of 5 for 73 in Australia’s second innings.

Bowling his heart out and getting plenty of purchase from the surface, Mohammed Siraj got the major scalps of Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith and Matthew Wade, before cleaning up the tail.

Both Labuschagne and Smith were done in by extra bounce Siraj generated off the surface, while Wade perished caught down leg.

Following his maiden five-wicket haul in only his third Test, Mohammed Siraj became only the fifth Indian bowler to claim a five-for at the Gabba, and the first since Zaheer Khan in 2003.

Erapalli Prasanna, Bishan Singh Bedi and Madan Lal are the only other Indian bowlers to have claimed five-wicket hauls in Brisbane.

Despite the valiant efforts of Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur (4 for 61), India have a massive task on hand on day five at the Gabba.

The visitors have been set 328 to win the Test on a surface that is getting increasingly difficult to bat on. The highest total ever chased at the Gabba is 236 by Australia against West Indies in November 1951.

The best chasing effort by a visiting team in Australia is 170 by England in December 1978.

A standing ovation as Mohammed Siraj picks up his maiden 5-wicket haul.#AUSvIND #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/e0IaVJ3uA8

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 18, 2021

India have never won a Test at the Gabba while Australia have not been beaten at the venue since 1988. However, Mohammed Siraj’s inspirational bowling has given India a shot at creating history.