“This one player has been giving his full effort” - Murali Kartik’s massive praise for Indian star amid ENG vs IND 2025 5th Test

Former India spinner Murali Kartik has lavished praise on pacer Mohammed Siraj for his standout performance on Day 2 (Friday, August 1) of the fifth Test against England at the Kennington Oval in London. The 31-year-old delivered an impressive spell, returning figures of 4/86 in 16.2 overs, helping the visitors bundle out the hosts for 247 in their first innings.

In a video shared by Cricbuzz on Saturday, August 2, Kartik commended Siraj for his relentless effort and commitment, highlighting the pacer's never-give-up attitude and consistent intensity. The 48-year-old said:

“The performer of the day is the same guy who has been the performer of the series. If you look at the entire series, most of the other bowlers haven’t played till the end, but this one player has been giving his full effort with the ball from day one until now. Mohammad Siraj. Even today, just look at how he kept bowling spell after spell. Yes, his first spell wasn’t great. Even the first ball didn’t come out properly. Ideally, you expect your main bowler to set the tone of the match, but that didn’t happen.” “Still, the best part is that he doesn’t give up and always gives his hundred percent. That’s exactly what he did when he got Ollie Pope out. Then, when Harry Brook was batting well, he dismissed him near the end of the day to make sure the lead didn’t grow too big. And if you look at the entire series, he is the highest wicket-taker. With one more innings still to go, I don’t think there’s any point in comparing anyone else to him right now,” he continued.

Mohammed Siraj currently tops the wicket charts in the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, with 18 scalps from eight innings at an average of 35.66 and a strike rate of 51.77, which includes a notable five-wicket haul.

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“If you miss your length, he will punish” - Murali Kartik lauds Yashasvi Jaiswal for his fifty on Day 2

In the aforementioned video, Murali Kartik also praised Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal for showing positive intent during the second innings. The southpaw played his shots confidently and completed his fifty, though he was dropped twice along the way. Speaking about his knock, Kartik said:

“Yashasvi Jaiswal showed intent on the very first ball, that even if he gets a slight opportunity, he will play shots. He played many cut shots, ramp shots, stepped out to attack, and also left good deliveries. As a bowler, you know that if you miss your length, he will punish you.” “Yes, he got two lives, which could be quite crucial, because Harry Brook, possibly one of the best fielders in this entire series along with Karun Nair and KL Rahul, dropped a catch. After that, Liam Dawson dropped another catch. We do not know yet how big or important those drops will turn out to be,” he added.

At the end of Day 2, the visitors reached 75/2 in 18 overs in their second innings, holding a 52-run lead with Yashasvi Jaiswal (51) and Akash Deep (4) unbeaten at the crease.

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Edited by Dev Sharma