Siraj lavishes praise on Akash Deep

BIRMINGHAM: India pacer Mohammed Siraj credited fellow seamer Akash Deep for playing a big role in his six-wicket haul, describing the Bengal speedster as a “horse” who was just waiting for his opportunity.

Siraj (6/70) and Akash Deep (4/88), who replaced a rested Jasprit Bumrah, complemented each other perfectly to bundle out England for 407 in reply to India’s first innings total of 587 in the ongoing second Test here.

“Akash Deep is like a horse. He was waiting for opportunity and when the opportunity arrived he has shown how hungry he was. To be honest I enjoyed a lot bowling with him,” Siraj told BCCI.TV.

“I love when given responsibility. My only goal was not to give runs from my end. I tried to bowl with control as much as possible and keep the batsmen under pressure.”

Akash Deep too credited Siraj and said he enjoyed a lot sharing the new ball with him.

“With the first new ball I got two wickets but Mian (Siraj) played a big role. He kept the pressure from one end,” Akash Deep said.

“Very important role (Siraj played), we bowled in partnership with the new ball. Enjoyed a lot. The way we made a comeback with the second new ball was special.”

Akash Deep missed out on maiden five-wicket haul but he doesn’t have any regrets.

“Five wickets will come and go but I never have these things in mind,” he said.

I was hungry to get a hundred: Brook

England batter Harry Brook said he was fired up to score a century in the ongoing second Test against India here after being dismissed for a duck in the second innings of its five-wicket win in the first game at Leeds.

With England struggling at 84 for 5 in reply to India’s first innings total of 587 in the second Test here, Brook (158) and Jamie Smith (184) came to the host’s rescue with a special 303-run partnership.

“I was off the back of a golden duck so I just wanted to get off the mark,” he said after third day’s play on Friday.

Brook had missed out on a hundred after being dismissed for 99 in the first innings of the opening Test.

“I was definitely hungry to get a hundred. Obviously with the situation of the game, we were behind the eight-ball and to try to get the momentum to swing back in our favour, along with Smudge (Smith), was a good moment,” he said.

Brook too admitted that India is in the driver’s seat but said things can quickly change in a Test match.

“Hopefully we’ve clawed ourselves back into the game. I just tried to bat as long as I could. If I hadn’t got out we wouldn’t be in this situation now, but we saw (at Headingley) last week how quickly it can change.”