Mohammed Siraj provoked Kamil Mishara to throw away his wicket [Source: X]Pace spearhead Mohammed Siraj played a brilliant mind game to help India get the prized scalp of Kamil Mishara in the second Test against Sri Lanka. Led by Shubman Gill, India posted a mammoth first innings total of 503 runs in the Colombo Test before jolting the home team with two early breakthroughs. While Kamil Mishara and Pasindu Sooriyabandara tried to steady the ship for Sri Lanka, Mohammed Siraj cheekily provoked the former to make him fall into the trap set by Prasidh Krishna. Mohammed Siraj sledges Kamil Mishara to break his rhythmThe incident occurred in the ninth over when Mishara was trying to consolidate the Sri Lankan innings alongside Sooriyabandara. After conceding three runs in his first two deliveries, Siraj bowled a good-length delivery that moved away from Kamil Mishara after pitching around the off stump. The Indian pacer had offered minimal width, so Mishara shouldered his arms and let the ball go to the wicketkeeper. crictalk @crictalk7 Aug 25, 2026, 10:17 AM As this was Mishara's second consecutive leave of the over, Siraj exchanged a few words with the batter, provoking him to make some contact with the ball rather than letting it go to the wicketkeeper. Mohammed Siraj's antics help Prasidh Krishna dismiss MisharaAlthough Mishara initially seemed unfazed by Mohammed Siraj's antics and responded with a smile, his words kept playing in his mind, breaking his rhythm and unsettling him as the game progressed. Sony Sports Network @SonySportsNetwk Prasidh Krishna strikes first this morning! 🔥 Kamil Mishara undone by a sharp short ball that climbed awkwardly. Watch #SLvIND 2nd Test, LIVE NOW on Sony Sports Network TV channels & Sony LIV. #SonySportsNetwork #SonyLIV #BeautifulGameOfTestCricket Aug 25, 2026, 10:45 AM When Prasidh Krishna came to bowl the next over, Mishara was carried away with a defensive shot and poked at a rising delivery that ideally should've been left. Also Read: Mohammed Siraj Playing Through Injury! Karnataka Great Alleges Gambhir Risking FutureThus, Siraj's mind game made the young batter lose his patience and throw his wicket away when Sri Lanka desperately needed him to stay in the middle and make his start count.Mohammed Siraj struggles to provide breakthroughs in SL TestsWhile Mohammed Siraj was instrumental in helping Prasidh Krishna get rid of Kamil Mishara, he has undoubtedly blown hot and cold as far as his own performance with the ball is concerned. The Hyderabad seamer has managed only three wickets in four innings so far at a modest strike rate of 63. Siraj, who had a stellar year in Test cricket in 2025, has found it tough to provide regular breakthroughs with the ball this year. Overall, he has claimed only three wickets in five innings, taking almost 11 overs per wicket. It's worth noting that Siraj is no longer a regular member of the Indian team in ODIs and T20Is. He didn't make it into the India ODI squads for the Afghanistan and England series, having last played in the format against New Zealand in January 2026. Similarly, the right-arm pacer last featured in a T20I for the last time during the T20 World Cup and has since found himself out of India's scheme of things. Therefore, Mohammed Siraj must be desperate to break his wicket-taking drought in Sri Lanka, with the likes of Gurnoor Brar and Auqib Nabi waiting in the wings to take up his spot in the Indian Test team. Also Read: MS Dhoni Shockingly Given 3rd Spot In Best Wicketkeepers Of All Time
