Mohammed Siraj's Honest Analysis Of Joe Root's "Stupidest In English Test History" Shot

Pacer Mohammed Siraj is surprised that a well-set Joe Root preferred to play a reverse ramp shot off Jasprit Bumrah and ended up losing his wicket to hand India advantage in the third Test in Rajkot Saturday. Root was batting at 18, having spent almost an hour at the crease. Trying to improvise, Root attempted a reverse ramp over the slip only to find Yashaswi Jaiswal at second slip. His partnership with centurion Ben Duckett (153) was steady but after his dismissal, England could not add even 100 runs to the total. The visitors conceded a huge 126-run lead.

"Ben Duckett's partnership was growing with Root, if he had played a little more, then it would have been difficult for us. But suddenly he played that shot which didn't look (like one) to be played," Siraj said during media interaction after the day's play.

"But it turned out good for us and after that (Ben) Foakes and Ben Stokes had a good partnership, and then Stokes played a shot (which got him out) and we got into the game from there," he added.

Cricketers and pundits said the former England captain -- who has clocked over 11,000 runs in 138 Tests -- had misfired by trying to fit into England's attacking "Bazball" brand of cricket.

"Joe Root's latest Bazball shot is the stupidest in English Test cricket history," read a headline for a scathing article by Telegraph cricket writer Scyld Berry.

Former captain Michael Vaughan wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that Root was "far too good to gift India such a cheap wicket 20 mins into a crucial day when they are down to 10 players."

Siraj praised young India opener Jaiswal for his rapid 104-run knock.

"The way he is batting, his confidence is very high. He is not looking behind and is totally focussed on what lies ahead