Demotion for Mohammed Siraj in second innings of MCG Test

Following a lacklustre showing in the first innings of the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Mohammed Siraj wasn’t given the new ball in the second essay on December 29 (Sunday) at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The last time Siraj didn’t bowl with the new ball when two seamers opened the attack for India was during the fifth Test against England in Birmingham in July 2022, with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami sharing the red cherry. That was 21 Tests before the ongoing MCG Test.

Siraj had a horrid outing in the first innings, leaking 122 runs in 23 overs. The right-arm seamer conceded runs at an economy of 5.3 and failed to take a single wicket. As a result, India have started with Bumrah and Akash Deep in the second innings.

Also read - Siraj hasn't been good enough to live in Bumrah's shadow

Siraj started the series on a superb note, finishing with match figures of 5/71 in 27 overs. However, he has struggled since then. The 30-year-old has claimed eight wickets at an average of 45.3 and an economy rate of 4.6 and has looked completely off-colour.

India could only manage to add 11 runs to their overnight score of 358/9 in the first session of day four. Nitish Reddy was the last man to get out, but only after slamming 114 off 189 deliveries. Despite his century, Australia got a first-innings lead of 105 runs.