‘You can’t pick and choose matches’: Azharuddin slams Bumrah for missing England Tests, hails Siraj’s fitness ‘thanks to nalli gosht biryani’

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“There is workload, but at this level, you have to manage it. You are playing for the country. It was a different story that Siraj along with Prasidh (Krishna) and Akash Deep rose to the occasion and we were fortunate that we could win without Bumrah, but what happens if India needs Bumrah badly in a particular situation?,” he added.

Bumrah, who already had informed BCCI about his fitness issue and his limited availability ahead of the series, has been drawing flak after Mohammed Siraj ended up playing all five Tests and was pivotal in India drawing the five-match series 2-2. The World No. 1 Test bowler played the Headingley, Lord’s and Manchester Tests while missing out on Edgbaston and The Oval Tests. Incidentally, India went on to win both these Tests.

Azharuddin praised fellow Hyderabadi cricketer Siraj and said, “Siraj was outstanding. Thanks to Nalli Gosht Biryani and Paya (which are his favourite food) he has developed a strong body, particularly his legs,” he said.

“He showed a lot of enthusiasm and energy. Throughout the series he had the hunger to excel and deliver for India. His last delivery [where he clean bowled England’s Gus Atkinson with a yorker to help India win the fifth Test at the Oval by six runs and level the series 2-2] which was bowled at 143 kmph is a great tribute to Siraj’s fitness and strength that has made him a super star. That spell at the Oval was incredible. He took on the responsibility admirably in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah. He came hard at the England batters and bowled with a lot of intensity. He is clearly the new super star of Indian sport,” added Azharuddin.