He tells batsman 'I'll make it a contest, you coming?': Harmison says Siraj is 'Duracell battery of Indian attack'
“He’s a Duracell battery Mohammed Siraj. What he has done at the end there, I mentioned from the first ball to the last ball, he’s at it,” Harmison told ESPNCricinfo.
Former England seamer Steve Harmison was all praise for India fast bowler Mohammed Siraj after the latter dished out a match-winning performance to help his side win the second Test at Lord’s. Harmison said Siraj is like a Duracell battery of the Indian seam attack, who runs in and bowls with his 100% every time captain Virat Kohli throws him the ball.
“He’s a Duracell battery Mohammed Siraj. What he has done at the end there, I mentioned from the first ball to the last ball, he’s at it,” Harmison told ESPNCricinfo.
Siraj was the highest wicket-taker for India in both the innings of the Lord’s Test match which India won by 151 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
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“Whatever the fitness trainer is doing to him, keep doing it. I’d like to see him do it till Manchester, towards the end of the series. He pitches it up, swings it away,” Harmison added.
The tall former England quick also praised Siraj’s never say die attitude on the cricket field which helps him get the better of the batsman.
“I also think he's got a bit of heart about himself that helps him to always go at the batsman. He almost tells the batsman ‘I’m gonna make this a contest, you coming in with me?’ If the batsman is not up to the contest then he wins it. He’s been the difference for India in these two Test matches. The way he’s run in, has been fantastic,” he said.
The former right-arm seamer also had a lot of things to say about Jassprit Bumrah.
“Bumrah if you haven’t faced him a lot and he has that unusual action and release that helps him get a lot of natural variation from the pitch. He hits the pitch so hard that he can get a lot out of it. You feel that the ball might go over the top of the stump but you are still tempted to play at it because of his ability to slide the ball. Then suddenly he bowls a bouncer and it’s difficult for you to get away from it. He’s a difficult bowler to face.
“That's why I feel this bowling attack as a unit is very potent,” he said.
India will face England in the third Test at Headingley from August 25.