Mohammed Siraj produced a fiery spell on Thursday in Ahmedabad, becoming the highest wicket-taker in the ongoing World Test Championship, surpassing Mitchell Starc. The Indian pacer dismissed Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Brandon King, and Alick Athanaze in the first session, reducing West Indies to 42/4 alongside Jasprit Bumrah. Post lunch, he bowled the delivery of the innings to remove Roston Chase, though he narrowly missed a five-wicket haul.
Star India pacer Mohammed Siraj on Thursday went past Mitchell Starc to become the highest wicket-taker in the World Test Championship this year, with his three-wicket haul in the first session of the first Test against West Indies in Ahmedabad.
The first breakthrough came on the fifth delivery of Siraj’s second over, a short-length ball that bounced extra. Tagenarine Chanderpaul (0) attempted to guide it down the leg, but Dhruv Jurel dived to his right and took a clean catch.
Star batter Brandon King then tried to go behind Siraj and smacked him for a boundary on the penultimate delivery of the 10th over, but the latter came back with a bang and dislodged his middle stump, following it up with a customary ‘Siuuu’ celebration.
In his very next over, Siraj dismissed Alick Athanaze for 12, caught by KL Rahul at second slip. At the end of the 12th over, West Indies were at 42/4, with three wickets picked by Siraj and one by ace India pacer Jasprit Bumrah.
Siraj returned into the attack post lunch and produced the ball of the innings, squaring up Roston Chase (24), who couldn’t fend off an incoming delivery for an outside edge that also kept ‘keeper Dhruv Jurel guessing until the last moment.
Siraj couldn’t bag a fifer but he went past Mitchell Starc to become the highest wicket-taker in the World Test Championship.
Siraj is also the second-highest wicket-taker this year in Tests, only behind Zimbabwe’s Blessing Muzarabani, who has 36 wickets this year to his name.
