DSP Siraj issues series-deciding speeding ticket to England's Bazball

Mohammad Siraj wears his heart on his sleeve. Charging in with purpose, draped in India's whites, he doesn't just bowl -- he barrels in, undeterred by conditions, expectations, or reputations. 

Bazball? That turbocharged English ideology of fearless batting barely registered on his radar and was the least of his worries, it seemed. If anything, it was a challenge he relished.

Siraj, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in the Telangana Police, showed great resilience, and seemed to have stopped the speeding Bazball bandwagon in its tracks, issuing a series-deciding speeding ticket in dramatic style to ground the Ben Stokes-Brendon McCullum duo to a screeching halt in the fifth and final Test which India won by six runs.

He finished the five-match series in England with a chart-topping 23 wickets, the highest for any bowler, and scripted a thrilling 2-2 draw with a career-best 9-190 in the last Test. The spotlight, which often evades the supporting cast, finally embraced him.

The 31-year-old workhorse played all five matches, the only pacer to do so from both sides, and bowled a staggering 185.3 overs – the most by any bowler in the series. He did all that without any complaint, without any compromise, and most notably, he did it without an ounce of thought spared about how England would try to impose their approach on the game. While England attempted to set the tempo, often inflicting damage with their high-octane style, Siraj pounded the turf, toiled hard session after session.

He kept at it and managed to create moments of brilliance for himself and his team, sometimes as the sidekick to star pacer Jasprit Bumrah, sometimes as the sheriff himself. In the last Test at the Oval, he decided, enough was enough, and it was his time to shine. He revelled in the limited sunshine on offer over the five days and wreaked havoc when the light was obscured, finding his own way to shine when things turned gloomy inside the ground. 

When India faltered to 224 in the first innings, it was Siraj who hauled them back, scalping four crucial wickets. His in-swingers sliced through England's middle order, leaving even the likes of Joe Root and Ollie Pope flailing. When England came out to chase 374, a record total, it was again Siraj who claimed vital scalps --- removing Zak Crawley with a deceptive slower yorker and cutting Pope in half. And after a batting onslaught from Harry Brook (98-ball 111) and Joe Root (152-ball 105) which gave England a favourable position, Siraj sealed the deal on a tense final morning with help from a spirited effort from Prasidh Krishna.  

And notably, he did it without Bumrah. All series long, the narrative revolved around India's spearhead -- how his inclusion multiplied India's chances in the series. But when it mattered most, Siraj rose from the wings. The numbers speak for themselves -- his bowling average plummets from 35.00 to 25.10 when Bumrah is absent. The absence of the star didn't rattle him, it galvanized him. Siraj quietly went about his business and saved his best for last to ensure skipper Shubman Gill's debut series in charge does not end in defeat. 

"I think I love responsibility. I am missing Jassi bhai [Bumrah] because he is a senior bowler. You always feel good when you are given the extra responsibility. I like it and I enjoy it. I don't take much pressure. I just like to follow my simple plans," said Siraj after his four-fer in the first innings.

The badge he wears off the field now seems just as fitting as the whites he wears on it.