Former India captain Anil Kumble hailed Mohammed Siraj’s consistent line and length after the pacer’s four-wicket haul triggered an England batting collapse on Day 3 of the Rajkot Test. Notably, England lost their final five wickets for just 29 runs in the second session and got bowled out for 319, allowing India to secure a significant lead of 126 runs.

“I think what was impressive about Siraj and this spell today was his consistent line and length, which wasn’t there yesterday. Of course, the batters took him on with the new ball. He was trying a bit too much. Maybe today, he just thought, let me just go both line and length, wicket to wicket. Yes, the field that was set, had enough sort of catching positions and just kept at bowling the stump,” Anil Kumble said while speaking on JioCinema in the tea break.

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Anil Kumble, speaking on JioCinema during the tea break, lauded Siraj for his outstanding performance, emphasizing the importance of consistency in line and length for a fast bowler, especially on Indian pitches. Kumble highlighted that Siraj’s disciplined approach allowed him to exploit the pitch effectively, without the need for excessive variations. This strategic simplicity, coupled with a well-set field, enabled Siraj to dominate the English batters and contribute significantly to India’s advantageous position in the match.

“Credit to Siraj for his consistent line and length, and you can see that from the pitch map as well. You know, all of that, uh, pitch map, the balls that he has bowl has been in and around the good landmarks. So if you go there consistently on an Indian pitch, if you’re a fast bowler, Bumrah has shown you don’t need too many variations. But if you’re all over the place and the line and length is not consistent, then it doesn’t matter how many variations you have,” Kumble added.

Siraj’s spell was characterized by his impeccable line and length, a strategy that paid off handsomely as he dismantled the opposition’s batting order. His approach was a stark contrast to the previous day’s play, where the English batters seemed more comfortable facing him. The adjustment in his bowling strategy, focusing on maintaining a consistent line and length rather than experimenting too much, proved to be a game-changer.