Team India drew first blood in the World Test Championship Final against Australia after an in-form Mohammed Siraj sent back Usman Khawaja for a duck with a beautiful delivery in his very second over of the match. The Hyderabad-borne pacer was persistent with his line in the opening spell and reaped the reward for his skipper in the first session.
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma could not resist the temptation of bowling first on a greenish surface at the Oval after he called it right at the toss. His new-ball bowlers, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj, didn’t disappoint their skipper either, bowling a couple of terrific overs at the start of the match.
The pressure eventually told on the Aussie openers as Usman Khawaja nicked a probing delivery from Mohammed Siraj in the fourth over of the match. Siraj dished out a celebratory roar after that wicket, with his former skipper Virat Kohli being the first to hug the star pacer after his breakthrough.
Marnus Labuschagne survives a fiery over from Mohammed Siraj
Siraj wasn’t done just there as he made a nuisance of himself against the no 1 Test batter in the world Marnus Labuschagne. Initially, the Australian batting ace was on the receiving end of a vicious short delivery from the Indian star and then survived a close LBW call in a threatening tenth over.
The 29-year-old pacer came into the summit clash on the back of a prolific season with his franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore in the recently concluded 16th edition of the Indian Premier League. He scalped 19 wickets in just 14 matches for the Men in Red and Gold and was at his sublime best with the new ball in the powerplay.