Last Updated:
Graham Gooch has compared Mohammed Siraj with Ben Stokes for their dedication.
Mohammed Siraj (L) and Ben Stokes. (PC: AP)
England legend Graham Gooch has compared India pacer Mohammed Siraj with Ben Stokes, saying both are ‘similar characters’, who give their everything to the team, without leaving anything behind.
Gooch’s comments came after Siraj completed five wickets in the Oval Test of the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy on Saturday. He took four scalps in the first innings and another just before Stumps on the third day, slipping in a brilliant yorker to get Akash Deep out.
Siraj is the only pacer in the series to have bowled in every innings of his team. And as Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep have dealt with injuries, the Hyderabadi has bowled relentlessly to emerge as India’s top wicket-taker in the series. Home skipper Stokes is England and the series’ top wicket-taker but the high workload took a toll on him and he had to be rested from the series decider.
“Siraj, I’ve got a lot of time for him,” Gooch told PTI. “Very passionate, puts it in every time. And Ben Stokes is a similar sort of character. When he walks across the white line, he empties the tank. You understand what I mean by that. He doesn’t leave anything behind. He gives it everything,” he added.
Gooch further hailed Stokes as a ‘phenomenon’, saying England look light on the bowling side without him.
“Stokes, to me, has been a phenomenon this season. I mean, he’s a key player for England because he balances the side. If he doesn’t play, England have to go a batsman down. And if they go a batsman down, we’re not good enough to have four bowlers. We need five bowlers. To have a four-bowler bowling attack, in my opinion, you need two world-class bowlers. And England don’t have that at the moment. Stokes has been outstanding and he’s been our best bowler. The minor concern has been the other bowlers,” said the former top-order batter,” Gooch said.
England were 50/1 at the end of the third day’s play and need 324 runs in two days to win the match and seal the series.
A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses, features, live scores, results, stats and everything that’s cricket from all over the globe. Follow @cricketnext
A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses, features, live scores, results, stats and everything that’s cricket from all over the globe. Follow @cricketnext
view comments
Read More
