Team India pace bowler Mohammed Siraj shared that they decided to bowl only bouncers to Travis Head on Day 2 of the World Test Championship (WTC) final irrespective of the outcome of the plan as well. Head, who was unbeaten on 146 on Day 1 of the WTC final, went on to score 163 off 174 balls before getting out to a short ball from Siraj on Day 2 on Thursday, June 8. He was uncomfortable against the rising ball on the first day of the Test as well.

Speaking after the end of the second day’s play, Siraj said: “We decided to bowl only bouncers to Head and if we get hit from there then so be it. We stuck to it and got success. We built pressure did not give too many runs that also helped. We used bouncers yesterday [Wednesday] as well but the chances went in the gap. There were four-five chances off my bowling only. If we did not bowl well, Australia would have crossed 500.”

While applauding Head for a brilliant knock, Siraj also said that India could have done better with the ball on Day 1 after winning the toss. However, he also added that there was pace and uneven bounce at The Oval on Day 2. However, Mohammed Siraj registered figures of 4/108 from 28.3 overs as Australia scored 469 runs in their first innings.

“There was sticky bounce yesterday [Wednesday] morning and seam movement. Thereafter, there was not enough swing from the six-meter length and batters were having it easy. Head batted extraordinarily as well. We could have bowled with better lines. There is more pace in the wicket and there is uneven bounce. We also bowled well but the way Head batted, he forced us to push our lengths back,” Mohammed Siraj concluded.