Siraj and Prasidh’s 4 wickets in the 5th Test on Day 2 gave India a strong comeback against England. The match was slipping away, but these two fast bowlers changed everything with their superb bowling.
At the beginning of the day, England looked confident. India started on 219/7 and quickly lost the remaining wickets. They got all out for just 224 runs. Then, England kicked off their innings with a bang. Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett were on fire, racking up runs in no time. In just 12 overs, they had already hit 92 runs without losing a single wicket. At that point, it looked like England would take full control. However, India had different plans.
First, Akash Deep gave India hope by dismissing Duckett. That was the breakthrough India needed. After that, Siraj and Prasidh stepped up and changed the game. Mohammed Siraj bowled a fiery spell. He got Ollie Pope out lbw. Then, he trapped Joe Root using DRS. After that, Siraj delivered a stunning yorker that clean bowled Jacob Bethell. Finally, bowled out Harry Brook too. Siraj finished with 4 wickets for 86 runs. He bowled with speed and control. His spell brought India back into the match.
At the same time, Prasidh Krishna was also brilliant. He sent Zak Carwley packing with a catch, dismissed Jamie Smith the same way, and got Jamie Overton out with an LBW decision. Then he sent Gus Atkinson back to the pavilion. His bouncers and accuracy troubled the English batters. Prasidh ended with 4 wickets for 62 runs.
Siraj and Prasidh 5th Test, Day 2 Bowling Stats
| Mohammed Siraj – 4/86 | Prasidh Krishna – 4/62 |
| Ollie Pope – 22 runs | Zak Carwley – 64 runs |
| Joe Root – 29 runs | Jamie Smith – 8 runs |
| Harry Brook – 53 runs | Jamie Overton – 0 run |
| Jacob Bethell – 6 runs | Gus Atkinson – 11 runs |
Thanks to their bowling, India bowled out England for 247. So, England got only a 23-run lead. It wasn’t much. The momentum had shifted in India’s favor. There was also a heated moment. Prasidh and Joe Root exchanged words during the game. This showed how intense the match had become.
Then, India came out to bat again. Yashasvi Jaiswal played with confidence. He scored 51 not out from just 49 balls. Even though he got lucky a couple of times, he kept scoring fast. By the end of Day 2, India had reached 75/2. That gave them a 52-run lead.
Siraj has now claimed the title of the highest wicket-taker in this series, boasting an impressive 18 wickets. He’s joined the ranks of legends like Kapil Dev and Vinoo Mankad, as all three have managed to take 10 or more wickets in three overseas Test series, a remarkable feat for Indian bowlers.
England had the upper hand early on. But India fought back strongly. On Day 2, we saw a total of 8 wickets tumble, marking the highest number in the series up to this point. Now, the game is wide open and could go either way.
In short, Siraj and Prasidh’s 4 wickets in the 5th Test gave India a big boost. Their strong bowling brought the team back into the match. With a lead on the board and the game balanced, Day 3 promises even more excitement.
