India vs South Africa 2nd Test: Will Mohammed Siraj bowl on Day 2, Ravichandran Ashwin says THIS

Team India pacer Mohammed Siraj is tough customer, who will do everything in his might to get back onto the field after sustaining a hamstring injury on the opening day of the second Test against South Africa. Siraj was seen in pain after bowling the penultimate delivery of his fourth over during the South African innings. He immediately felt his hamstring and later hobbled off the field along with the medical staff.

Speaking to media after stumps, Ravichandran Ashwin was first asked about the fitness of in-form pacer Mohammad Siraj, who left the field immediately after what appeared like a hamstring injury.

“The medical staff are assessing him overnight and obviously it is very immediate. So initially what they do with these injures is just ice and they see for the next hour or two and I’m hoping with the history that Siraj has, he will definitely come out and give his best,” said Ashwin.

Watch Mohammed Siraj getting injured here…

Asked about the nature of the Wanderers pitch, Ashwin remarked, “I just felt the pitch was a little two-paced. Generally, Wanderers has the tendency to start a bit slow and then become a little quicker. It did quicken up a bit but it just feels a little different to a typical Wanderers pitch. We have to wait and see how it responds tomorrow if it doesn`t quicken up and doesn’t continue to be two-paced, will the cracks open up, that is something we can only judge at the end of the game.”

The 35-year-old was in praise of young South African all-rounder Marco Jansen, who picked 4/31 and played a crucial hand in bowling out India for 202. It was also the second four-wicket haul for Jansen after taking 4/55 in the second innings at Centurion.

“Left-armers add a lot of variety to any attack. There`s no doubt about it. He’s special, is six-eight (feet-inches), anybody that comes into the game has got a bit of height, bit of skill, he’s got a nice action, gets close to the stumps with his good side-on action.”

Ashwin signed off by saying that one has to go out and play against any kind of fast-bowling attack on any given day. “Whatever said and done, it’s not like somebody does a role in the nets and go there and sort it out. At the end of the day, all seamers have got wickets. Shami has gone nine wickets, Bumrah has got eight odd wickets, Rabada has got wickets, Marco Jansen has also got wickets. It is South Africa, you get quicks to get wickets.”

(with agency inputs)