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Akash Deep lauded fellow pacer Mohammed Siraj for his exceptional resilience during the recently concluded Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.“As a fast bowler, he is fit, and the way he puts in effort behind the ball sets him apart,” Akash Deep told TOI.Akash Deep highlighted Siraj’s endurance and said that playing five consecutive matches was “commendable.”According to him, the key takeaway from Siraj’s performance was the importance of mental fitness over physical fitness. Akash Deep, who shared the new ball with him in the series, was full of praise for his bowling partner.“Playing five consecutive matches is commendable. From this, one learns that being mentally fit is more important than being physically fit.”
Siraj emerged as the leading wicket-taker in the series, taking 23 wickets at an average of over 32, with two five-wicket hauls and a four-fer to his name.He also bowled around 185 overs, the most by any bowler in the series. At The Oval, it was Siraj who delivered a comeback spell, reducing England from a dominant position of 301/4 to 367 all out while chasing 374, bowling brilliantly and relentlessly in tandem with Prasidh Krishna.
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Siraj’s most definitive effort came on the fifth day of the final Test at The Oval, helping India bowl out England for 367 in the chase of 374.He took five wickets in the innings to complete a match haul of nine wickets in that match.The six-run win, the slimmest in India’s Test history, earned the visitors a highly admirable 2-2 draw in the series.
