“I took 20 wickets in BGT, sir” - Mohammed Siraj sharply reacts to reporter’s ‘sub-par’ question

Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj has sharply reacted to a reporter who stated that the seamer had a sub-par Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia Down Under. Siraj, who won the Player of the Match award in the Oval Test, attended the press conference after winning the game.

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Siraj was quick to answer the reporter’s question, stating that he scalped 20 wickets in the BGT 2024-25 campaign. Notably, he was the fourth-leading wicket-taker and the second-leading wicket-taker for India after Jasprit Bumrah on the Australia tour.

"I took 20 wickets in BGT, sir. When Jassi bhai was bowling well, my only job was to bowl in partnership as much as possible. I didn't want to try too much because if I tried hard, I could leak runs, and the pressure would build up as well," Siraj said at the post-match press conference.

Furthermore, Siraj also talked about Chris Woakes, who came out to bat despite dislocating his shoulder. Notably, Woakes, while fielding on Day 1 of the Oval Test, injured his shoulder while stopping a boundary. 

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"Hats off to Woakes for coming into bat with a broken shoulder, because many players would not have come to bat in such a situation. It shows the passion he has for cricket and for England. My plan, had he been on strike, would have been to bowl at the stumps as much as possible, and finish off the game," he added.

Also, Siraj, who bowled a whopping 185.3 overs in the five-match Test against England, played all five Tests on the England tour, while all other bowlers from other sides couldn’t manage to do that.

"To be honest, body is fine right now. Almost 187 overs in the series, but you play for your country, you give everything, don't think too much. Like you are bowling your sixth over of the spell or ninth over of the spell, I don't care," he concluded.

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