London [UK], August 4 : India's powerhouse Mohammed Siraj earned the respect of England's rising sensation Harry Brook and captain Ben Stokes for the sheer effort that he has put in throughout the five Tests of the inaugural Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
Siraj redefined the concept of workload management, bowled his heart out across the five Tests and concluded the series as the leading wicket-taker. Siraj's determination and perseverance resonated in the 1113 deliveries he bowled in five Tests to scalp 23 wickets at 32.43.
When India stood in dire need of a wicket, Siraj rose to the challenge and struck the decisive blow and even elongated his spells for a smoother rotation. In the absence of the world's best Jasprit Bumrah, who was restricted to three Tests, the 31-year-old took the responsibility of being the leader of the pacers pack.
On the final day of the fifth Test, England stood 35 runs shy of gunning down the 374-run target and clinching a 3-1 series win with four wickets in hand. Siraj's relentless spells, with sharp nipping deliveries, served as the beacon of India's six-run victory at The Oval for ages. The success that Siraj "deserved" left Brook and England "devastated" after settling for a 2-2 draw.
"We came into the day very confident. We had two very good players out there, and I thought we were going to easily see it home. But the way the Indians fought back and the way Siraj bowled, it deserved every success," Brook said after being named England's Player of the Series.
"Siraj has played five Test matches in a row, bowling 85mph every delivery. He's had a phenomenal series, and I respect what he's done this series a lot. Not able to win it is devastating. Happy to contribute as much as I have," he added.
Stokes expressed his admiration for 'Miyaan Magic' and felt his exploits at The Oval served as a reminder of what Siraj is all about as a player and "competitor".
"I've always had great respect and admiration for Mohammed Siraj as a competitor. He just keeps coming and coming and coming. You know that he's always going to be in the fight with you. Again, just another example of what it means," he said during the post-match press conference.
"This game in particular just kept going and going and going. Oppositions and all that kind of stuff. I've always had a lot of admiration and respect for the way that Mohamed Siraj goes about his cricket and what he does and how he takes it on," he added.
The five days in London served as a stark reminder of the magnitude of the Test format. Emotions boiled over on the field, and fans were left biting their nails at the edge of their seats while witnessing the spectacle. According to Brook, players across both sides put everything they had, which led to the series becoming a great advert for the format.
"It's been an awesome series, a very intense series. After every game, we've all been absolutely knackered. We've put everything on the line, haven't left anything out there," Brook said while reflecting on the series," Brook said.
"It's been awesome to be part of, even that finish there. I know we are on the wrong side of it, but it's such a good advert for Test cricket," he added.