‘Had fun bowling on green-top wicket:Mohammed Siraj opens up on Test performance against West Indies; scalps four wickets in Ahmedabad

Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj was the star of the opening day in the first Test against West Indies at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. After a long break, the fast bowler said he truly enjoyed bowling on the green-top wicket. Siraj’s brilliant spell of 4 for 40 helped India bowl out West Indies for just 162 runs in their first innings. At stumps, India reached 121/2, with KL Rahul scoring a patient half-century. India now trails the West Indies by only 41 runs, putting themselves in a strong position moving into Day 2. Siraj expressed happiness bowling on green top wicket Siraj continued his fine form from the recently concluded England series, where he played a crucial role in India’s 2-2 draw. After two months away from Test cricket, he looked in rhythm from the very first over. His four wickets on Thursday not only broke the West Indies’ batting order but also lifted India early in the series. Siraj revealed that bowling on a green-top wicket in India was a rare experience. “I was very excited because we don’t get such pitches here often. The last time I bowled on one like this was against New Zealand in Bangalore,” he said. Also read: Mohammed Siraj’s Ronaldo celebration against Windies in Ahmedabad: Dhruv Jurel’s leg-side diving catch, Bumrah’s fiery yorkers; IND vs WI, Day-1 top moments Siraj’s early breakthroughs with the new ball Exploiting the grass cover on the surface, Siraj dismissed three West Indies batsmen in the opening session. His dismissal of Brandon King was celebrated in style, as he pulled off the famous Ronaldo ‘Siuuu’ celebration, much to the delight of the crowd. Calling Roston Chase’s wicket a special one, Siraj explained that he had used a wobble seam delivery, but the ball held its line instead of moving. Speaking about his strategy against King, he added, “Two balls earlier, the ball had hit him on the pad. So I decided to bowl in line with the stumps, and it worked perfectly.” Also read: Rajat Patidar, Manav Suthar return unbeaten, ROI score -142/5: Abhimanyu Easwaran, Akash Deep shine for Rest of India ‘Confidence from the England tour’ – Siraj Reflecting on his recent performances, Siraj credited the England tour for giving him confidence. “You don’t get wickets easily at this level, and I had to work hard for these four wickets too,” he said. His consistent line and control on Day 1 have put India in a commanding position.