'Didn't feel it was a 55 all-out wicket' - Mohammed Siraj amazed after Cape Town heroics

India's speedster Mohammed Siraj has expressed astonishment over the Newlands pitch after his stunning performance against South Africa as he plucked six wickets on day one of the second Test on December 3. The day witnessed a staggering 23 wickets tumble, with India crumbling to 153 all out, losing their final six wickets without adding any runs in an unprecedented landmark.

Following his standout display, Siraj engaged in a conversation with India's bowling coach Paras Mhambrey and revealed his disbelief on how matters unfolded. He stated that it did not seem like a 55 all-out surface and also acknowledged his pace partner Jasprit Bumrah, emphasising the consistent pressure he created from the opposite end.

"When I saw the wicket in morning, it didn't feel it was a 55-all out wicket. It was quite sunny, so I didn't expect the pitch to assist that much. Also, bowling is all about partnerships. There was consistent pressure from Jasprit Bumrah at the other end. He didn't get many wickets but he created a lot of pressure," said Siraj said in a video featured on the BCCI's official website.

“On these wickets, where ball is doing so much, often bowlers tend to think, ‘let me try and bowl an outswinger darting from leg to off or get one to bend back from angle but one should just stick to one line. If you hit areas, wickets will come automatically. If you try many things, you can get confused,” he added.

Siraj disrupts South African batting line-up

The 29-year-old's dazzling displaywas nothing short of extraordinary. His devastating pace and accuracy saw him disrupt the South African batting order, securing an impressive 6-wicket haul for a mere 15 runs. His stellar bowling played a pivotal role as the hosts crumbled for just 55 runs in their first innings, marking their lowest Test total against India.

Kyle Verreynne's 15 was the highest score for South Africa in their shambolic first innings while David Bedingham was the lone other batter to score in double digits (12 runs). Besides Siraj's brilliance, Bumrah and Mukesh Kumar added to the pressure, securing two wickets each and further testing the South African lineup.