After hundreds upon hundreds of runs on flat tracks in the ongoing series so far, it took the green top at The Oval to finally produce the best day of the Indian summer, on the fifth and last Friday of the Test series.
India pacer Prasidh Krishna relished the banter with 'good mate' Joe Root on Day 2 of the fifth and final Test, and said riling up England's batting mainstay was part of the team's plans.
Prasidh Krishna has the ability to bowl "magic balls" and the pacer needs to be given an extended run to serve India for a long time, said bowling coach Morne Morkel in London on Sunday.
Fresh from a hard-fought 2-2 draw in England, Shubman Gill's men will be eager to translate their overseas resilience into home dominance.
Both bowlers had contracted the dreaded virus during the currently-suspended IPL earlier this month.
After the proceedings began with light warm-up and catching, the action shifted to the nets where all batters had long stints in the nets while the other pace bowlers too put in the hard yards.
Responding to India's squad selection for the home series against West Indies, former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan opined that pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah could have been rested for the series in order to groom a young fast bowler.
'Special mention to Siraj, who will put everything on the line for the team. Extremely happy for him.'
India roared back into contention on an exhilarating day two of the fifth and final Test at The Oval on Friday as their seamers restricted England to a 23-run lead.
Rashid Khan took a spectacular catch to dismiss Sunrisers Hyderabad opener Travis Head off the bowling of Prasidh Krishna.
Prasidh has been doing his intense rehabilitation program at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru but news coming out isn't a great one.
Kuldeep Yadav has a good record in T20 Internationals with 69 wickets in 40 matches at an economy rate of 6.77, with a best of 5/17 against South Africa.
Team India touched down in Manchester on Sunday ahead of the must-win fourth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy
Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna all sweating it out in the nets -- not with the ball, but with the bat.
Joe Root was at the center of an unexpected on-field spat with India's Prasidh Krishna, as tempers flared during a high-stakes second day at The Oval.
Just as India threatened to take full control before lunch, a costly fielding lapse by Mohammed Siraj handed England a lifeline - and it couldn't have come at a worse time.
A large group of players, including Mohammed Siraj, the hero of the victory, boarded an Emirates flight early Tuesday morning, heading to Dubai en route to their respective home cities in India.
Images from Day 2 of the fifth Test between England and India at The Oval, London, on Friday.
Siraj, known as a workhorse due to his dedication, intensity, and ability to perform under pressure, has revealed how his approach towards the game changed after he started playing alongside Kohli.
'Siraj is a captain's dream. Gave it his all every ball and every spell he bowled.'
Siraj dismissed Jamie Smith and Jamie Overton before bowling Gus Atkinson to end the match.
Woakes was stranded on nought as Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna took the remaining 4 wickets in an hour's play to help India register a series-levelling 6-run win.
What makes this team special is their ability to fight till the end, asserts veteran cricket correspondent K R Nayar. This team has announced that England's standard is not alarmingly high and, unlike in the past, they can be beaten on their home wickets, asserts veteran cricket correspondent K R Nayar.
In mounting tension, Jamie Smith and Jamie Overton struggled to get bat on ball, surviving several frenzied appeals before the umpires decided it was too dark to continue.
According to the BCCI source, both Krishna and Warrier contracted the virus from Chakravarthy during one of the training sessions. He said Krishna is Chakravarthy's close friend.
It's unbelievable because I was waiting for a long time: Siraj on his six-wicket haul
'I told Jassi bhai, If I take five wickets, who should I hug?'
The trio of Prasidh Krishna, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj managed just four runs between them in the two innings of the first Test against England in Headingley.
India's happy problem of plenty found its newest addition in rookie pacer Prasidh Krishna -- a Brett Lee and masala dosa fan who got some top-notch guidance from none other than Jeff Thomson in his journey to the highest level.
Such has been the problem of plenty for selectors in the T20 format that they are finding it difficult to even accommodate Yashasvi Jaiswal -- a proven performer in T20 cricket.
Siraj, who now leads the wicket-takers' chart in the series with 18 scalps, showcased his control and Aaron particularly highlighted the use of his signature delivery.
K L Rahul drove his way to a sublime 47 after England negated India's advantage by totalling 465 in their first innings as the visitors had another ordinary day in the field on Day 3 of the first Test in Leeds on Sunday.
Siraj has attained a career-best 15th position in the latest ICC Test rankings
Nitish Kumar Reddy has been ruled out of the remainder of the series against England due to a knee injury.
The series, to commence on June 20, will be played at Headingley in Leeds, Edgbaston in Birmingham, Lord's and The Oval in London, and Old Trafford in Manchester.
Opener Ben Duckett hit the most defining century of his career, exposing an out-of-depth Indian attack as England comfortably chased down a tricky target of 371 to win the opening Test by five wickets.
At The Oval, it was Siraj who delivered a comeback spell, reducing England from a dominant position of 301/4 to 367 all out while chasing 374, bowling brilliantly and relentlessly in tandem with Prasidh Krishna.
Two fast-bowling all-rounders look to be in a battle for one spot, while a decision between Prasidh Krishna and left-armer Arshdeep Singh could be condition-dependent.
India stuck to their pre-series decision to field Bumrah in only three Tests and was hence not played in the final Test at the Oval
The series in Australia could well be Rohit's last in India Blues. But Kohli, given his high fitness standards, could play on until the 2027 World Cup.
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