“There was not any help for pacers on the wicket”: India’s Siraj after series win against West Indies

The rain did not allow any play on the final day of the second Test between India and West Indies being held in Port of Spain on Tuesday, ending the match in a draw. With this, India has clinched the two-match Test series 1-0.

“This is my first Player of the Match award in Tests, very pleased. There was not much help for the pacers. I kept my plans simple and executed. When you pick wickets in conditions like this, you get loads of confidence. Rohit bhai asked me to believe in myself, not take any pressure and enjoy,” said Siraj in the post-match presentation.

India had set a massive total of 365 runs for West Indies to win the match and Windies lost two wickets in the final session of day four in Port of Spain on Monday.

At the end of the day four’s play, WI was at 76/2, with Tagenarine Chanderpaul (24*) and Jermaine Blackwood (20*).

WI had got off to a decent start, but then Ravichandran Ashwin (2/33) removed Kraigg Braithwaite (28) and Kirk McKenzie (0) to reduce WI to 44/2. Earlier, India had declared their second innings at 181/2, with Ishan Kishan (52* in 34 balls) and Shubman Gill (29*) unbeaten. With a lead of 364 runs, they set a target of 365 runs for the Windies.Shannon Gabriel and Jomel Warrican took a wicket each for the Windies.

Rohit Sharma (57 in 44 balls) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (38 in 30 balls) also played some quick knocks for India. India had crossed the 100-run mark in just 12.2 overs, the fastest by any team in Test cricket’s history.

Before this, in reply to India’s first innings total of 438, WI was bundled out for just 255 runs. WI trailed by 183 runs at that point.

Skipper Kraigg Braithwaite top-scored for the Windies with a knock of 75 in 235 balls. Alick Athanaze (37), Tagenarine Chanderpaul (33) and Kirk McKenzie (32) also played some decent knocks for the Windies.

Mohammed Siraj was the pick of the bowlers for India, taking 5/60. Mukesh Kumar and Ravindra Jadeja took two wickets while Ravichandran Ashwin got one wicket.

India made 438 in the first innings. Virat’s century (121 in 206 balls) and fifties by skipper Rohit Sharma (80 in 143 balls), Yashasvi Jaiswal (57 in 74 balls), Ravindra Jadeja (61 in 152 balls) and Ravichandran Ashwin (56 in 78 balls) proved to be instrumental in taking India to a massive total.

Jomel Warrican (3/89) was the pick of the bowlers for the West Indies. Kemar Roach (3/104) and Jason Holder (2/57) also were among the wickets for the Windies.