Mohammed Siraj Credits Jasprit Bumrah's Advice in Test Against South Africa

India's fast bowlers showcased their skills on the opening day of the first Test match at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, as South Africa was bowled out for just 159 runs. Mohammed Siraj, one of the standout performers, acknowledged the challenging conditions of the pitch that made run-scoring difficult for the visitors. Jasprit Bumrah led the bowling attack with a remarkable five-wicket haul, while both Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav contributed with two wickets each, effectively disrupting South Africa's early momentum.

South Africa began their innings steadily, with openers Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton providing a promising start. However, the situation deteriorated swiftly once the initial movement of the new ball subsided, leading to unpredictable bounce and a quick collapse. Siraj commented on the importance of discipline in bowling as the match progressed. "The new ball was coming on nicely to the bat, but when the ball went soft, the bounce became low as well," he explained after the day's play.

He emphasised the strategy of maintaining a full length and targeting the stumps, stating, "There has been some reverse swing on offer; if you bowl stump-to-stump, you'll get options to take wickets, and it isn't easy for batters to score runs." Siraj also noted that the pitch was behaving differently at either end, complicating matters for the batters. "One end is fine to bat, the other end - the bounce is variable and it's tough to score," he said, highlighting the challenges faced by the South African batsmen throughout the day.

During crucial moments of the innings, Siraj revealed that he benefited from Bumrah’s seasoned advice. "Jassi bhai just told me that the wicket-taking option was if you bowl at the stumps; you've got LBW, bowled, and even catches coming into play when the line is accurate," he said, crediting the senior pacer’s insights for refining his bowling strategy during a pivotal phase of the match.

South Africa's innings, which initially held promise, crumbled after the first hour of play. The team suffered a dramatic collapse, losing ten wickets for just 102 runs, which handed India a commanding position. By the close of play, India had reached 37 runs for the loss of one wicket, with KL Rahul and Washington Sundar ensuring there were no further setbacks after the dismissal of Yashasvi Jaiswal to Marco Jansen.

Siraj expressed satisfaction with India's position at the end of the day’s play, stating, "We are in a good position having lost just one wicket. Earlier, Markram and Rickelton put on a good stand; we did well to come back, and I think we're ahead in the match at the moment." As the teams prepare for Day 2, India trails by 122 runs, with the pitch expected to continue posing challenges for both sides.