Former India player Aakash Chopra has applauded Mohammed Siraj for bowling a potent spell in the second Test against England. He added that the Indian pacer has had the wood on Ben Stokes, dismissing the England captain for a golden duck this time around as well. However, Siraj registered figures of 6/70 in 19.3 overs as well.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra,’ he said, “You definitely get one thing with Miyan Magic. He runs in and bowls his heart out every single time. If you need someone who will give his 100 percent whenever you give him the ball, that is Mohammed Siraj. Mohammed Siraj’s commitment level, passion, aggression, and consistency in terms of his attitude are mindboggling and heartwarming. He puts in everything he has.”

“He is not going to stop whether he gets wickets or not, irrespective of what is happening at the other end and how much he is getting hit, whether he has a niggle or not. The guy bowled incredibly once again. It’s a road-like pitch. A lot of runs have been scored, but Siraj has shone. He picked up six wickets, dismissed Root, and Stokes’ number is now in his back pocket,” he further added.

However, Aakash Chopra also stated that Mohammed Siraj was unfairly left out of India’s Champions Trophy squad.

“Just spend a moment of thought. You talk about workload management. This guy has bowled so many overs across three formats in the last two or three years that you say, take a bow, and despite that, we hadn’t kept him in the Champions Trophy team. I was hurt because I felt we have been unfair to Siraj. He didn’t have luck at Headingley, but he toiled hard. You need a little luck for catches down the leg. This time, there was luck, and a lot of heart, grit, and resolve. Miyan Magic is a special player. He needs to be handled carefully,” Aakash Chopra concluded.