Mohammed Siraj is a “role model” whose presence in the Indian team matters, Sourav Ganguly was quite straightforward in his assessment of the pacer, who has been in the spotlight of late for his exploits in the Test series in England.
A lion-hearted effort from the indefatigable Siraj in the fifth and final Test, at The Oval, helped India return from England with their heads held high. It was Siraj’s nine-wicket match haul that earned India a 6-run win at The Oval, ensuring a 2-2 series result.
“Siraj knows how to lead the attack. Right through the series, he bowled with a lot of consistency. And the kind of bowling he came up with on the final day (at The Oval), it does require a huge amount of mental strength as well as a big, big heart,” Sourav said at a promotional on Sunday.
“No wonder Siraj is a role model. Whether (Jasprit) Bumrah is there or not, he knows what his job is. His presence matters,” the former India captain added.
The highest wicket-taker in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy with 23 scalps, Siraj featured in all five Tests and sent down as many as 185.3 overs with an intensity that barely dwindled. These reflect the kind of workload he took on the England tour as well as his work ethics.
Will Siraj be included in the squad for the Asia Cup, which is Team India’s next big assignment? Or, will he be rested? The answer is not known yet, but Siraj will surely be needed in the four home Tests against the West Indies and South Africa coming October and November, with crucial World Test Championship points up for grabs.
But irrespective of that, India go into the upcoming Asia Cup as “strong favourites”, Sourav believes.
“If India are strong in red-ball cricket, they are even stronger in the white-ball format. So, in my opinion, India are the favourites, and beating them on those good Dubai wickets will be very tough.”
Asked if the three-ODI series in Australia late in October could be Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s last in India colours, Sourav said: “That’s tough to say.
“Whoever does well will play. Both Rohit and Kohli have a phenomenal record in ODI cricket, after all.”
Rohit and Kohli have both retired from the T20I and Test formats, and have also been non-committal on whether they intend to be available for the 2027 50-over World Cup.
Easwaran’s chance
Sourav remains optimistic that Abhimanyu Easwaran’s long wait for the India cap will not go in vain. The 29-year-old Bengal top-order batter was with the Test squad in England, but didn’t get a chance to play.
“I’m confident Abhimanyu will have his chance. He still has age on his side. The No.3 slot could be an option,” Sourav said, adding: “However, he needs to be getting at least four to five chances if he does get picked in the XI.” In England, the No.3 slot was a bit of a concern for India as neither Sai Sudharsan nor Karun Nair, who both batted in that position, were too consistent. Both batters registered one 50-plus score each on the tour, with the 57 that Nair scored coming at No.5.
Return to CAB
Sourav’s second innings as president of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) is very much a possibility. The former BCCI chief, however, didn’t wish to reveal much.
“I’ve already said earlier what I had to... Have nothing more to say now,” he commented. Sourav told the media last week that he is keen to file his nomination for the CAB presidential post.