Former India skipper Kapil Dev has lavished praise on pacer Mohammed Siraj for his match-winning nine-wicket haul in the fifth and final Test at the Oval. Siraj’s 4-86 in the first innings and 5-104 in the second, including three crucial scalps on the final day helped India seal a series-levelling six-run win over England to tie the five-match series 2-2.

He led with courage

“Siraj is a real hero. The good thing is that he did not try to do anything extraordinary. He simply kept the ball in the right areas, especially around off stump and success followed,” Kapil told mid-day on Friday. “Siraj was leading the bowling attack [in Jasprit Bumrah’s absence] and he did it courageously,” added Kapil.