Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh on Friday reckons that Pacer Mohammed Siraj's "remarkable improvement" should be rewarded with a place in the playing XI in the World Test Championship final against New Zealand. Perhaps this is the first time when Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj and Mohd. Shami are available for selection in this test match. This is a matter of concern for the team management as Ishant Sharma has a lot of experience, while Mohd. Siraj has impressed a lot in the last 8-10 months.
Now, Harbhajan Singh gave his reason why he feels Siraj can pip Ishant for a place in the final XI. He said, "If I was the captain, I would go with three pure fast bowlers. In that case, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami pick themselves. In this final, I would like to go with Mohammed Siraj ahead of Ishant Sharma."
Harbhajan further said, "Ishant is a brilliant bowler but for this game, my choice is Siraj, who has shown remarkable improvement in the last two years. You have to look at the present scenario. Siraj's form, pace and confidence makes him a better choice for this final match. The kind of form he is in the last six months, he looks like a bowler who is hungry for his chances. Ishant has gone through some injuries of late but has been a great servant of Indian cricket no doubt."
"If you leave some grass on the surface, Siraj with his pace will be lethal. Trust me, New Zealand batters won't find him easy as he not only hits the deck but also gets to move the ball off the pitch at brisk pace. He can create awkward angles for batsmen," he added.