“The way he is batting, his confidence is very high” - Mohammed Siraj praises Yashasvi Jaiswal

Team India pacer Mohammed Siraj praised young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal for notching up a fantastic hundred on Day 3 of the Rajkot Test against England on Saturday, February 17. According to the right-arm pacer, the way Jaiswal is batting at the moment, he is very high on confidence.

After Siraj’s four-fer restricted England to 319 in their first innings, Jaiswal hammered 104 off 133 before retiring hurt due to back spasms. India went to stumps on Day 3 at 196/2 after 51 overs, with a lead of 322 runs.

Speaking at a press conference at the end of the third day’s play in Rajkot, Siraj was all praise for the left-hander batter.

"The way he is batting, his confidence is very high. He is not looking behind and is totally focused on what lies ahead and he is carrying on with that confidence. The message from the team is that he should continue the way he has been doing,” the fast bowler was quoted as saying by PTI.

The 29-year-old also added that India’s bowlers need to recover well because they bowled long spells in the first innings. In Ravichandran Ashwin’s absence due to a family medical emergency, India are left with only four bowlers.

"We only think of taking the game as forward as possible so that we (bowlers) should also recover because we are bowling long spells and fielding. The more we are able to recover the fresher we will be for the second innings,” Siraj explained.

While the Indian pacer claimed four wickets in 21.1 overs in the first innings, spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja chipped in with two scalps each.

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“If he had played a little more, then it would have been difficult for us” - Siraj on Root’s wicket

Responding to India’s first-innings score of 445, England were well-placed at 224/2. However, Joe Root (18) was dismissed attempting a reverse scoop off Jasprit Bumrah. His wicket triggered a batting collapse that saw England lose eight wickets for 95 runs.

Siraj admitted that Root’s wicket was a big one in the context of the game as India ended up getting a lead of 126 runs.

"Ben Duckett's partnership was growing with Root, if he (Root) had played a little more, then it would have been difficult for us. But suddenly he (Root) played that shot which didn't look (like one) to be played. But it turned out good for us and after that (Ben) Foakes and Ben Stokes had a good partnership, and then Stokes played a shot (which got him out) and we got into the game from there," the pacer commented.

India will resume their second innings on Day 4 in Rajkot with Shubman Gill batting on 65 and Kuldeep on 3.