Once the team management decided to release Jasprit Bumrah after he was ruled out as part of workload management, Mohammed Siraj came up with an innocuous query to the leader of the pack.

“I asked Jassibhai, ‘why are you going? Who will I hug when I take five wickets?’” Siraj said in a video put up on the BCCI website. Bumrah replied nonchalantly to Siraj: “I’m here, you take your five wickets!”

Siraj shares a strong bond with Bumrah and has never shied away from expressing his admiration for him. Bumrah’s influence, both as a leader and as a benchmark for excellence, has always reflected on the group, as the others always try to look up to him for advice.

Bumrah’s pinpoint accuracy and calm demeanour under pressure have always been an inspiration. Siraj has benefited the most having played with him more times than anyone else in the current side.

Unlike Bumrah, Siraj displays fiery intent, almost being the heartbeat of the team. It showed in his dramatic eight-over spell on the second afternoon of the final Test which helped India claw their way back at The Oval.

But Siraj has learnt to lead in Bumrah’s absence and keep the good work going. It showed in the Edgbaston Test and also in the final game. When every other fast bowler falls by the wayside, Siraj has this trait of being splendidly competitive and carrying the burden on his shoulders.

He has the deceptive pace of Bumrah along with pinpoint yorkers, which make him a nightmare for the batters. The way Siraj used the conditions, bowling a slightly fuller length made life difficult for the England middle order.

Prasidh Krishna has also acknowledged Bumrah’s encouragement having spent a lot of time with him when both were undergoing their rehabilitation at the NCA in 2023.

“Booms (Bumrah) has been a great part of this. I think it’s really important for us to enjoy each other’s success, to have that rapport off the field, so when you’re on the field, speaking to each other, you have that trust. Only that is going to make the team better,” Prasidh said after his four-wicket haul on Friday.

But the big test will lie in the second innings as Siraj and Prasidh, along with Akash Deep, need to bring out their best to level the series. Perhaps that will define their lessons learnt on this tour and define India’s fast bowling resources.