Australia vs India: Mohammed Siraj gets Marnus Labuschagne as his maiden Test wicket

Mohammed Siraj has been doing the rounds in India’s domestic cricket since the year 2015 and with 152 wickets from 38 first-class games, he was doing his job with precision. The hard work paid dividends as in November 2017, he made his T20I debut against New Zealand in Rajkot. But after a couple of matches, he lost his place in the team as he was leaking runs at an alarming rate.

In January 2019, he made his ODI debut but again was excluded after a solitary game. However, instead of going into his shell, he kept performing in domestic cricket. In the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League, Siraj hogged the limelight with a superb show against the Kolkata Knight Riders. The 26-year-old Siraj was thereafter included for the ongoing tour of Australia.

He missed the first Test as India went with the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav. But the doors opened for Siraj after Shami was ruled out of the last three Tests after fracturing his arm. Prior to the Boxing Day Test at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, reports of either Siraj or Delhi’s Navdeep Saini’s Test debut kept doing the rounds.

Mohammed Siraj shines on debut

It eventually was Siraj who made the cut and he didn’t flatter to deceive, at least in the opening Day’s play of the second Test. To start with, he smashed Marnus Labuschagne flush on the helmet in the post-lunch session. Despite not known for his rapid pace, he managed to beat the batsman quite efficiently. There was more joy waiting for the 26-year-old speedster from Hyderabad.

In the 50th over, Siraj got rid of Labuschagne to pick up his maiden Test wicket. Siraj bowled from wide of the crease and the batter tried to glance the ball down the leg-side. He was playing the shot earlier with ease, but he faltered this time. Shubman Gill took a sharp catch at backward square leg.

Siraj’s joy knew no bounds as he managed to dismiss one of the best Test batsmen. Labuschagne’s wicket as a crucial one as he was batting with patience on 48 runs off 132 balls with the help of four fours. The Aussies had lost their fifth wicket at the score of 134.

Here’s the video –