In the absence of Ravichandran Ashwin who left for home due to a family emergency, a lot of responsibility fell on the Indian bowling attack to restrict an attacking England side riding on Ben Duckett’s century. Mohammed Siraj who returned to the side after getting rested for the second Test stood up to the task and took four crucial wickets. After the day’s play, Siraj revealed that he learned about Ashwin in the morning and what skipper Rohit Sharma told his bowlers.
"In the morning when we got to know that Ash bhai is not there, more responsibility fell on us. Rohit bhai told us that we would have to bowl long spells, and I love bowling long spells," told the reporters in Rajkot.
"For a fast bowler in Test cricket, one cannot set up a batsman in three-four overs. We got success due to long spells. Ash bhai was our fifth bowler and I only wish that his mother gets well soon. If you bowl long spells you should not try much but be consistent with it (line and lengths).
"They (England batters) are not used to defending all six balls in an over, if they have defended on two, they are going to attack the third," Siraj said.
Siraj wraps up England's first innings
Siraj dismissed Ben Foakes and then cleaned up the tail with the wickets of Rehan Ahmed and James Anderson with full-pitched deliveries to help India bowl out England for 319 which gave the hosts a 126-run lead. He explained how he planned to put a doubt in England batters’ minds.
"It is a flat and slow wicket and we have to make a plan. You should put it down in the batsman's mind that he (the bowler) is bowling the bouncer or the slower one to keep him confused. I planned the yorker and executed it well and got the wicket and the momentum shifted," the 29-year-old said.
After England lost five wickets for just 20 runs, India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal scored his third Test century. He got support from Shubman Gill who remained unbeaten for 63. India had 196/2 on the board after Jaiswal left the field due to back spasms.
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