The fifth Test at The Oval has already seen its fair share of dramatic momentum swings. And now a cheeky behind-the-scenes detail has added some humour to the heat.
Former England pacer Stuart Broad has revealed that England opener Ben Duckett has a nickname for India's Mohammed Siraj: Mr. Angry. The name comes from Siraj's animated, charged-up demeanour - especially when wickets fall.
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Known for his Ronaldo-inspired celebrations and high-energy reactions, Siraj has been central to India's bowling all series. And even more so during England's first innings at The Oval.
Nickname given to Mohammad Siraj by England players
Describing the exchange during the JioCinema panel discussion, Broad said:
"I was actually out in the middle yesterday when Ben Duckett was doing a few shadow shots and Siraj was there. Duckett smiled at Siraj and went, 'Hello, Mr. Angry, good morning, Mr. Angry, how are you?'"
Broad asked Duckett what the nickname meant.
"He goes, 'oh, we go up to Siraj and we call him Mr. Angry with a smile on our face and see how he reacts.'" he added.
Despite the teasing, Broad was quick to praise Siraj's impact.
"I've loved watching Mohammed Siraj this series. He's been superb throughout. But whenever there's a bit of controversy, you look in the back of the television screen and it's Mohamed Siraj clapping away and cheering and smiling," he concluded.
After India were bowled out for 224, Siraj picked up four wickets to help bowl England out for 247, limiting the hosts' lead to just 23.
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Mohammad Siraj is currently leading the charts with 18 wickets and is closely followed by England captain Ben Stokes.
Here’s a detailed look at the top five batters with the most runs in the ongoing series:
| Bowler | Matches | Innings | Wickets | Avg/SR | Economy | Best figures | 5w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohammad Siraj (IND) | 5* | 8 | 18 | 35.66/51.77 | 4.13 | 6/70 | 1 |
| Ben Stokes (ENG) | 4 | 8 | 17 | 25.23/49.41 | 3.06 | 5/72 | 1 |
| Josh Tongue (ENG) | 3* | 6 | 15 | 30.13/41.60 | 4.34 | 4/86 | 0 |
| Jasprit Bumrah (IND) | 3 | 5 | 14 | 26.00/51.28 | 3.04 | 5/74 | 2 |
| Akash Deep (IND) | 3* | 5 | 12 | 32.41/44.58 | 4.36 | 6/99 | 1 |
(Table correct as of August 1 after 5th Test, Day 2)