India No. 11 Mohammed Siraj might have scored only an unbeaten 16 but his celebration to teammate Ravichandran Ashwin’s century was something to behold on Day Three of the second Test against England in Chennai on Monday (February 15).
A video posted by Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) showed both Siraj and Ashwin pumping their fists in the air and celebrating Ashwin’s ton -- the third instance of off-spinner Ashwin getting a 100 and a five-wicket haul in the same match.
"A moment to cherish forever! @ashwinravi99 gets his Test 100 in Chennai and Md. Siraj erupts in joy. The dressing room stands up to applaud," BCCI tweeted.
A moment to cherish forever! @ashwinravi99 gets his Test 100 in Chennai and Md. Siraj erupts in joy. The dressing room stands up to applaud. #TeamIndia #INDvENG @paytm pic.twitter.com/ykrBhsiTbl
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 15, 2021
It was a moment of pure ecstasy from Siraj, who was playing in only his third Test match as well as a moment of selfless joy. Ashwin was still on 82 and realised that with Mohammed Siraj, the last man in, he needed to accelerate and get to his hundred within a few overs.
However, Siraj (16 not out) formed a 49-run partnership with Ashwin as the latter scored a brilliant hundred on a challenging MA Chidambaram stadium surface
Ashwin’s hundred was cheered on by the Indian dressing room as well, as the cricketer got his first Test hundred at his home ground of Chepauk.
The Tamil Nadu off-spinner finished with 106 with 14 fours and a six in an innings that lasted 148 balls. The 33-year-old was also involved in a 96-run stand with India captain Virat Kohli, who scored 62 off 149, to help India recover form 106 for 6.
It helped India build a 481-run lead in the second innings as they trail England 1-0 in the series. The visitors had won the first Test, also in Chennai, by 227 runs.
