Siraj’s jaffa that claimed Shai Hope is a ballad penned for the swing experts of the world

The Indian cricket team put out a fine display against West Indies in the series opener that saw them winning the opening contest by six wickets and twenty-two overs to spare. Yuzvendra Chahal and Washington Sundar infringed into the Caribbean pecking order to leave them writhing in agony. However, the initial kicker came from a marauding Mohammed Siraj.

In the absence of Shami, Bumrah, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siraj was accorded the responsibility of leading an inexperienced bowling attack. The first over bowled by him was a maiden. It issued a statement straight away as there was brief movement and Siraj was varying his speed with every passing delivery.

The start of his second over saw contrasting fortunes for the Indian expressman and the West Indian Hope. The first ball was pitched in the line of the stumps, aiming for his body and Hope pushed it to the legside without any success.

The following delivery was pitched up and it was moving away from the batter as Shai comfortably drove it through the covers. The ball lifted up to a comfortable height and there was no looking back for him.

The third ball of the over was followed in close lockstep to the previous one, as it was a bit fuller, on the rise, and comfortably traded to the ropes by Hope. If you are getting hammered to the ropes, you would want to change your line and length, right?

Siraj, however, was obdurate and pitched the following ball in the exact same spot. However, instead of flailing away from the batter, it angled in sharply. Hope, trying to replicate the last two shots, ended up playing the ball onto his own stumps.

The ball had pace and landed in the exact upper region of the good length area. Hope had already committed to his shot and the speed of the ball ensured that he had no means to thwart the bullet from going in.

It is not easy to maintain such stringent discipline when you are haring in from a mile and also have to maintain your speed. It is easy to vary the short balls and the yorkers. However, bowling in the good length region, especially in the finishing half of it, needs steely determination.

To add to it, they get whacked for a couple of cover drives off two back-to-back deliveries. As a fast bowler, you start questioning your decision. However, Siraj knew exactly what he was doing. In the very first over, he had sniffed movement and all he had to do was keep on maintaining the rigor. The surface did the remaining trick.

Call it whatever you want but Siraj once again proved that why he can be the pennant-bearer of India’s bowling excellence in the near offing alongside the untenable Jasprit Bumrah. His opening spell read 6-2-13-2.