New Delhi– India pacer Mohammed Siraj was named ‘Impact Player of the Series’ after India’s clean 2-0 sweep of the West Indies, and said that every wicket he took in the series “felt like five wickets.”
India crushed the visitors by an innings and 140 runs in the first Test, followed by a seven-wicket victory in the second. Siraj played a pivotal role, taking seven wickets in the opener and three more in the final Test.
“To be honest, this series went very well. When we played in Ahmedabad, there was some help for the fast bowlers. In New Delhi, we had to bowl a lot of overs. Every wicket I took felt like five wickets,” Siraj said in a video shared by the BCCI. “As a fast bowler, when you get rewarded after putting in the efforts, you gain a lot of confidence, and you also feel happy after winning the Impact Player award in the dressing room.”
Siraj said Test cricket remains his favorite format, calling it the most demanding and rewarding. “I feel very proud as a person after any achievement. I will try to continue with such performances because Test cricket is my favorite format. There are so many challenges in it — you have to be on the field the whole day, physically and mentally. It’s very different, but it also makes me feel proud,” he said.
In the dressing room, wicketkeeper-batter N. Jagadeesan presented Siraj with his medal, praising the pacer’s consistency and attitude. “There have been a lot of great performances in this series, but it’s about one guy who has been impeccable throughout,” Jagadeesan said. “He showed vigor, courage, and aggression every time the ball was thrown to him. He was always the first to encourage his teammates with energy and positivity.”
The win marked India’s tenth consecutive Test victory over the West Indies and their 122nd overall, moving them past South Africa to third place on the all-time list. It was also India’s first Test series win under captain Shubman Gill, following the 2-2 draw against England earlier this year. (Source: IANS)
