The start of the day did not go as India had hoped for. Australia displayed dominant batting skills with Steve Smith and Travis Head firmly established at the crease. The Indian bowlers had the best opportunity to make an impact during the first hour of Day 2. However, Mohammed Siraj’s two poor deliveries allowed Smith to reach his century, his third at the Oval and ninth against India. This led to a heated confrontation between Siraj and Smith, leaving viewers unimpressed.
Siraj later provided a peculiar explanation for his on-field actions. It occurred in the first over of Day 2 during the WTC Final when Siraj bowled two consecutive half-volleys that Smith converted into boundaries, making him the second Australian batsman to achieve a century after Travis Head.
WATCH – Mohammed Siraj Had A Fierce Exchange with Steve Smith in WTC Final
On the next ball, Smith pulled out at the last moment, claiming an issue with the spider cam while Siraj was in his run-up. Frustrated by being hit for boundaries, Siraj angrily threw the ball at Smith. Smith repeatedly explained that it was due to the camera, but Siraj remained unimpressed. When asked about his behavior at the end of Day 2, Siraj nonchalantly stated that he was simply “enjoying” the moment.
“It’s nothing. It was just for fun. If you enjoy yourself, your mind stays relaxed. If you take too much pressure, it affects your bowling. So, it’s nothing,” he explained.
When further questioned about whether agitating Smith was part of his plan, Siraj replied, “It was nothing. I had no plans to frustrate him. I was just enjoying my bowling. I was frustrated at that time.” Smith went on to score 121 runs, while Head recorded a remarkable 163 in their partnership of 285 runs, helping Australia reach a total of 469 runs in the first innings.
Siraj also shared his perspective on the strategy of using short balls against Head, which led to his crucial dismissal on Day 2. Siraj clarified that it was a planned approach by the Indian pacers against the Australian batsman, and they stuck to it consistently.
WATCH – Shubman Gill Gets Trolled For His Brain Fade At WTC Final
“We came in today with a plan to attack Travis Head with bouncers. We decided that if he managed to hit those bouncers, it wouldn’t be a problem, but we would continue with our plan, and it eventually brought us success,” Mohammed Siraj explained. “We attempted to bowl bouncers to Travis Head yesterday as well. We created opportunities, but unfortunately, they landed in the gaps. I had several chances, but they didn’t go to hand. If they had, it would have been a different story,” he added. “We tried the same tactic yesterday, but as the ball became softer, we had to focus on bowling stump-to-stump and maintain a tight line. It was a disappointing day for us.”
