Watch: Siraj hunts down Root, Stokes on consecutive deliveries in IND vs ENG 2nd Test to become first bowler in the world to notch this rare feat

Spearheading India's pace attack in the absence of the rested Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj delivered a game-changing performance at the start of Day 3 of the second Test at Edgbaston. Despite entering the match with his form under scrutiny, Siraj rose to the occasion, claiming three key wickets to put India in a commanding position. After dismissing Zak Crawley on the second day, he produced a stunning opening over on Friday that shattered England's hopes.

With just the third ball of the day, Siraj dismissed the well-set Joe Root. In a stroke of misfortune for the batsman, a seemingly innocuous delivery heading down the leg side found a faint touch off Root's bat, and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant completed a sharp diving catch to his left. This brought England's captain, Ben Stokes, to the crease, tasked with rescuing his side from a precarious situation.

However, Siraj was relentless. The very next delivery was a vicious short ball that climbed awkwardly on Stokes. The England skipper, attempting to defend, could only edge the ball, which flew straight into the waiting gloves of Pant. In a remarkable two-delivery sequence, Siraj had sent England's two most experienced batsmen back to the pavilion, leaving the hosts reeling at 84 for 5 in response to India's mammoth first-innings total of 587.

The dismissal marked a historic, albeit unwanted, milestone for the English captain. It was the first time in his 113-Test career, spanning 202 innings, that Ben Stokes was out for a first-ball duck. While he had been dismissed without scoring on 16 previous occasions since his debut in 2013, this was the first instance of a golden duck, making Mohammed Siraj the first bowler to achieve this particular feat against him in Test cricket.

Watch Siraj sending Joe Root-Ben Stokes back to the hut in back-to-back deliveries:

However, Harry Brook and Jamie Smith held England's fort and took them to a well-positioned 249/5 by lunch. While Jamie Smith is still unbeaten on the crease on 102, Brook is unscathed on 91 and is also nearing a well-deserved ton.