London [UK], August 3 (ANI): Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting offered no clemency to Mohammed Siraj, who was the culprit of dropping Harry Brook during the final hour of the morning session of Day 4 of the fifth Test against England at The Oval on Sunday.
Harry Brook and Joe Root started to threaten India’s chances of levelling the series by orchestrating a fierce riposte. Prasidh Krishna offered a way out for India to avoid the misery that Brook was capable of unleashing while relying on his skillset.
On the first delivery of the 35th over, Brook top-edged his pull, and Prasidh started celebrating as soon as the ball shot sky high. Siraj arrived at the landing position, completed the catch. However, to his and India’s agony, he took a step back and touched the boundary rope, turning the wicket-taking delivery into a maximum.
He sunk his face in his hands, trying to fathom the gravity of his blunder. Brook made the most of the unprecedented lifeline and returned unbeaten after the end of the opening session. Ponting wondered what went through Siraj’s mind when the situation didn’t demand that he move his body.
“What was he thinking? He wasn’t thinking at all. He didn’t have to move to take the catch, so how costly might that be? Brook is still in and reads the bowlers so well. He bats in a Test match, how you would try and read a bowler in a T20,” Ponting said as quoted from Sky Sports.
Former India head coach and cricketer Ravi Shastri enjoyed the seesaw confrontation with both teams scuffling for control and said, “That session was Test cricket at its best. It was a watchful first hour – good bowling and plenty of chat out there, fielders getting in the face of the batters.”
While Prasidh and Siraj made early inroads to reduce England to 106/3 in defence of a 373-run target, Brook’s belligerent strokeplay restored the balance. For Shastri, Brook’s magic resonated with India vice-captain Rishabh Pant’s past exploits.
“India picked up a couple of wickets – but then came the counterattack. In a seesaw battle, England took the momentum. Harry Brook did a Rishabh Pant. I liked his anticipation. It was clear that he wanted to score runs and be disruptive,” he added. (ANI)
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