Mohammed Siraj needs one wicket to complete 200 in international cricket. He can get it in the last Test against England at The Oval.
Siraj can reach 200 in final Test
India drew the last Test in Manchester. Now they want to win the final match and make the series 2-2. Siraj will need to bowl well for that to happen.
In the last game, Siraj gave away 140 runs in 30 overs. He took only one wicket — that of Chris Woakes. His bowling was not good that day.
Siraj has taken 14 wickets in this series. He is one of the top wicket-takers. His best was at Edgbaston where he took 6 wickets.
He has played 100 matches for India and taken 199 wickets. His best bowling is 6 for 15. He has taken five five-wicket hauls.
Siraj does well in Test matches
Siraj bowls better in Test cricket than other formats. He has 114 wickets in 40 Test matches. His average is 31.84.
He has taken five wickets in a match four times. All four came in different countries — Australia, England, West Indies, and South Africa.
Siraj has done well in England. He has 37 wickets in 10 matches there. His best in England is 6 for 70.
At The Oval, he took five wickets the last time he played. That was in the World Test Championship Final. He will try to do well again.
Chris Woakes needs five more wickets
England’s Chris Woakes also has a chance to reach a big number. He needs five more wickets to reach 400 in all formats.
Woakes has taken 395 wickets in 216 matches. His bowling average is 29.50. He has taken eight five-wicket hauls and one ten-wicket haul.
In this series, he has taken 10 wickets in four matches. His average is 52.80, which is not great, but he has helped the team.
Woakes likes bowling at The Oval
Woakes has done well at The Oval before. He has taken 26 wickets in 7 matches at this ground. His best here is 4 for 50.
If he gets to 400, he will join a special group of England bowlers. That group includes James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Ian Botham, and Bob Willis.
India must play strong to win this match. The Oval has not been lucky for them before. But after the draw in Manchester, they will feel more confident.
Some Indian players like Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul, and Ravindra Jadeja have played well. Now everything depends on this one last game.
The final Test will start on July 31 at The Oval. Siraj and Woakes both have a chance to reach big career goals in this match.
ALSO READ: Banned, Retired, and Back: Brendan Taylor Makes Stunning Return To Zimbabwe National Team At 39
