Brendon McCullum Wanted to Switch Player of the Series to Siraj
The India vs England Test series had drama worthy of a Bollywood script, and Mohammed Siraj’s brilliance only added more. Former New Zealand captain and England coach Brendon McCullum reportedly wanted to change his Player of the Series pick from Shubman Gill to Mohammed Siraj after India’s thrilling six-run win at The Oval.
Former India cricketer Dinesh Karthik revealed the twist on Cricbuzz, stating the decision flipped within an hour on Day 5.“If the match had gotten over yesterday (Day 4), Shubman Gill was the man of the series,” Karthik said.
“Brendon McCullum had said Shubman Gill. And obviously, Atherton [Mike Atherton] was the one doing the presentation. So, he had all the questions ready. Everything was for Shubman Gill.”
Siraj’s Day 5 Heroics Changed McCullum’s Mind
As Siraj tore through England’s lower order, taking 5 for 69 and sealing the win for India, McCullum changed his mind.
“Baz McCullum turned it around in a matter of half an hour, 40 minutes — to Mohammed Siraj,” Karthik added.
“He even spoke about him in the post-match with Sky Sports — about how he enjoyed watching Siraj bowl and all the eloquent things he had to say about him.”
In England, opposition coaches choose two Players of the Series. Expecting a Day 4 finish, broadcasters had already taken votes. McCullum voted for Gill, who scored 754 runs in five Tests. Gautam Gambhir went with Harry Brook, who nearly stole the match with his explosive innings.
But McCullum praised Siraj’s energy and spirit during the post-match interview.“He’s got that spirit you want to see in a fast bowler,” McCullum said.“Every time he had the ball in hand, there was energy. You could see how much it meant to him. It was one of those spells that can change a series, and today, it really did.”
Karthik Backs Siraj’s Rise in Bumrah’s Absence
Siraj led India’s attack in Bumrah’s absence and finished the series with 23 wickets, the highest for any bowler.Karthik applauded Siraj’s commitment throughout the series, especially when the batters dominated the conditions “This is a five-Test match series where bat has dominated the ball,” Karthik said.
“It’s been hard work. And this boy has come in running every day of the series, when given the ball, with his heart out… When Bumrah didn’t play, Siraj stepped up and showed what it takes to win.”
“At the start of the series, I actually said, in Australia, he bowled better with the old ball than with the new ball. But Mohamed Siraj has come out here to England. And when he has been the head of the pack, which means everybody was speaking about how Jasprit Bumrah is important. When Jasprit Bumrah plays, India should win. Otherwise, they are going to find it hard. And eventually, they ended up winning 2 test matches. Both of which he didn’t play. And it’s obviously no reflection on Bumrah. Because he is such a genius that you rely so much on a Jasprit Bumrah for them to do the goods. But the fact is that when he wasn’t around, Mohamed Siraj stepped up. Showed what it takes to win. You know, I think he can now rise beyond,” Karthik concluded.
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