Mohammed Siraj loses cool, points finger at Bangladesh captain in heated battle moments before side's batting collapse
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Mohammed Siraj’s aggression was on full display during the fourth day of the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai. Known for his fiery approach both with the ball and with his words, Siraj was visibly agitated after Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto pulled him for a four down the leg side.
The short ball had been helped along to the fine leg boundary, and Siraj, unhappy with the outcome, attempted to unsettle Shanto with a few heated words and a pointed finger.
Despite Siraj’s efforts to rattle him, Shanto remained composed, choosing not to engage in the verbal exchange. This didn't dampen Siraj's spirits, as he continued to sledge Shanto after another delivery in the over.
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Shanto was among the select Bangladesh batters who played impressively in the second innings, as the side faced a huge 280-run defeat in the first Test. Mohammed Siraj picked two wickets in the first innings; interestingly, he dismissed Shanto then, ending his stay on 20. He also picked the final wicket of the Bangladesh innings, dismissing Nahid Rana for 11. In the second innings, however, Siraj remained wicketless.
Despite a solid start to the Test after opting to bowl, Bangladesh failed to capitalise on the momentum. After leaving the Indian team reeling at 144/6, Bangladesh faltered as Ravichandran Ashwin smashed a century, while Ravindra Jadeja (86) also produced a solid performance to take India's score to a strong 376.
Bangladesh, then, couldn't sustain the onslaught from the Indian pacers, with Jasprit Bumrah leading the pace attack; the right-arm bowler picked four wickets, helping put the opposition under instant backfoot.
Shanto the lone warrior
Shanto was the lone warrior for Bangladesh in the second innings. His dismissal put the final nail in the coffin for Bangladesh, as he failed to breach the three-figure mark. Ravindra Jadeja dismissed the Bangladesh captain for 82 off 127 deliveries.
In the post-match presentation, the skipper said they wanted to extend the match despite being left with a mountain to climb in the contest.
"Just tried to bat as long as we can, we were not thinking about outcome," he said.
“Just try to follow our process and play with our strength. That's what we try to do.”
