'I asked Jassi bhai, why are you going?': Mohammed Siraj reveals exchange with Jasprit Bumrah after India star released

Team India produced a brilliant comeback on Day 2 of the second Test despite being put in a spot of bother after a poor opening session on Friday. The side was bowled out for 224 after Karun Nair's 57 helped India cross the 200-run mark late on the opening day. However, the English opening pair of Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley continued in their explosive form in the recent games, smashing the Indian bowlers around the park to reach 92 in just 12.5 overs. Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah during the third Test match between India and England(PTI)

Zak Crawley’s dismissal cracked open the door, but it was Ben Duckett’s fall, followed by an animated send-off from Akash Deep, that truly lit a fire in the Indian attack. What followed was a charged session of hostility and intent. A tense verbal exchange between Joe Root and Prasidh Krishna only escalated the mood, and England, rattled by the shift in tone, failed to consolidate their early dominance. From 129/1, the hosts were dismantled by the fired-up Indian bowling attack, as they were bowled out for 247.

Leading the assault at The Oval were Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh, sharing eight wickets between them (four each). While Prasidh made the opening breakthrough with the wicket of Crawley, Siraj then tore through the middle-order with crucial wickets of stand-in captain Ollie Pope, Joe Root, and Harry Brook, all of whom had been in impressive form going into the fifth and final Test.

Siraj was the leader of the pack in the conventional sense, too, as he was the most experienced of the pace attack at the Oval in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah. While Bumrah was rested as part of the team's workload management, the BCCI informed on Friday that the pacer was released from the squad, too. Siraj, following the end of the day's play, revealed a playful chat he had with Bumrah.

“I asked Jassi bhai, 'Why are you going? Who will I hug when I take five wickets?' He said, 'I'm here, you take your five wickets!'” Siraj told BCCI.

Siraj shares a strong off-field bond with Jasprit Bumrah and has never shied away from expressing his admiration for India’s pace spearhead. Time and again, he has publicly acknowledged Bumrah’s influence, both as a leader and as a benchmark for excellence in the fast-bowling group.

Prasidh on the camaraderie

Prasidh Krishna also acknowledged Jasprit Bumrah's role from the sidelines, stating that the off-the-field rapport essentially built the trust factor in matches. Prasidh had also spent significant time with Bumrah when both were undergoing rehab at the NCA in 2023.

“Booms (Bumrah) has been a great part of this. I think it's really important for us to enjoy each other's success, to have that rapport off the field, so when you're on the field, speaking to each other, you have that trust. Only that is going to make the team better,” said Prasidh.

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