“Miyan” became one of the top trends on social media as India fast bowler Mohammed Siraj demolished South Africa on the first day of the second Test in Cape Town on Wednesday.

With his record-breaking bowling figures of 6/15, the Hyderabad-born pacer spearheaded South Africa's stunning batting collapse as the home team got bowled out for 55 – their lowest total in the five-day format since their re-admission into international cricket following the apartheid ban in 1991.

It is also the lowest total in a Test innings against India. Before the Mohammed Siraj-led destruction of South Africa, New Zealand held the record for the lowest total against India. The Kiwis were bundled out for 62 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai during a Test match in 2021.

Mohammed Siraj's splendid nine-over spell, which resulted in a six-wicket haul, made him the second Indian bowler after Maninder Singh to pick five wickets before lunch on the opening day of a Test match.

Left-arm spin bowler Maninder Singh accomplished the milestone in a Test against Pakistan in Bengaluru in 1987.

Besides, Mohammed Siraj became the first Indian bowler to take a fifer in a single Test session since 2011. Moreover, he joined his national teammate Jasprit Bumrah as the only other bowler to grab six wickets during a single session of a Test match since 2016.

The 29-year-old is only the fifth quick bowler to pick six wickets in a session of Test cricket. The others are Trent Boult, Vernon Philander, Chris Woakes, and Jasprit Bumrah.

Mohammed Siraj's magical spell became a trending topic on various social networks, with netizens hailing his exceptional bowling performance for Team India against the South Africans in Cape Town.

 

“Mohammed Siraj has great skills and a big heart, showcasing the spirit of perseverance in the face of challenges. Take a bow, miyan Mohammed Siraj,” ex-India cricketer Mohammad Kaif tweeted.

1983 World Cup winner Sunil Gavaskar thanked his former colleague Kapil Dev for Mohammed Siraj's rise in the echelons of Indian cricket.

According to Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev inspired multiple generations of Indian cricketers to become fast bowlers in a country where pitches have never been conducive for pace bowling.

“All thanks to Kapil Dev. He has shown that in India you don't necessarily have to be a spin bowler. Even in Indian pitches one can take wicket. Of course when you go to wickets like South Africa, England Australia, New Zealand, you will get lot more assistance as a new ball bowler. Since then India have produced a range of fast bowlers,” The ex-India captain said on Star Sports.

“But particularly in the last 10-12 years, thanks to the IPL, there are a lot of fast bowlers who have come to the fore. Now India have a bench strength of fast bowlers which probably is going to be the envy of the cricket world. There are left-handers, right-handers, there is so much of talent available if any of these guys want to take a break. You saw when Jasprit Bumrah was not present, how Indian bowlers came in and performed. particularly Mohammed Shami. I think this will be a tribute to Kapil Dev. I also think for the first time in many, many years India will win a match on his birthday on January 6,” Sunil Gavaskar added.

Speaking on the same show, ex-India batter Sanjay Manjrekar reckoned that Mohammed Siraj was the most improved bowler among Indians if one compared their performance from the first Test.

“Not everyone as much as Siraj and to an extent Mukesh Kumar because Bumrah knows that he still has to get their way. It can be. But Siraj I thought learned his lesson, the best from all the Indian bowlers because he stuck to that length where you are not trying to swing the ball and remained relentless, didn't try too many things. So the guy, the Indian bowler who learned his lesson the best from the last Test night was Mohammed Siraj,” Sanjay Manjrekar noted.

On the other hand, another retired Indian pacer, Irfan Pathan, was impressed with Mohammed Siraj's bowling at the Newlands Stadium and credited his planning for his demolition of South Africa.

“Never seen a spell like Mohammed Siraj in my life. Mohammed Siraj definitely had better rhythm today. he was very sharp with his fuller length deliveries,” Irfan Pathan pointed out.

“Siraj's outswing worked really well today. The days where his outswing clicks, Siraj's bowling does wonders. The bowling was relentless. When he bowled the first over to Dean Elgar, he did not bowl outside of off stump. Siraj attacked his body, bowled bouncers to him and just when Elgar went into his shell, he bowled on the off side and forced Elgar into a mistake. The planning was stunning today,” Irfan Pathan summed up.

Mohammed Siraj's spellbinding bowling display also earned him rich plaudits from legends Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag.

“Siraj weaving magic at Newlands! Impeccable length and a spellbinding display of seam bowling,” Sachin Tendulkar wrote on X, previously Twitter.

“Miyaan Magic. What a spell from Mohammed Siraj, one of the best you would ever see,” Virender Sehwag posted on the microblogging platform.

Meanwhile, former India speedster Zaheer Khan backed Mohammed Siraj to repeat his first innings bowling heroics.

Despite Mohammed Siraj's outstanding performance with the ball, the Indian batters failed to take complete control of the match after getting out for a low score of 153 in their first innings.

Except for valuable contributions from Virat Kohli (46), Rohit Sharma (39), and Shubman Gill (36), no other Indian batter got going. Therefore, India managed only a 98-run lead over South Africa in the first innings.

Shockingly, India's last six wickets fell without contributing a single run – a collapse of epic proportions.

With the scoreboard reading 153/4, South African fast bowler Lungi Ngidi sent KL Rahul back to the pavilion. In the same over, Lungi Ngidi scalped Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah too.

In the next over, bowled by Kagiso Rabada, Virat Kohli and Prasidh Krishna departed, while Mukesh Kumar had to walk back to the dressing room after getting run out.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that the last six Indian wickets fell like a pack of cards as the Rohit Sharma-led side lost all of them in 11 deliveries without adding a solitary run to the total.

Subsequently, South Africa ended the opening day of the second Test in Cape Town at 62/3, 36 runs adrift of India's total in the first essay.

But Zaheer Khan was confident that Mohammed Siraj would once again deliver the goods for Team India on Day 2.

“India will have to break this partnership quickly. You will see more wickets tomorrow also. The pitch won't change much. Perhaps, Siraj can even bowl another spell like today's spell,” Zaheer Khan told Cricbuzz.

“If you see, in the last 3-4 years, the contribution of the lower order has been good. Bumrah, Shami and Shardul Thakur have played memorable knocks in England. Even in Australia, the lower order contributed well in India's win. I think the top-order batters will have to take more responsibility. Also, the lower order should take a little more responsibility. India have an added advantage when they play with 5 bowlers. Ever since the Indian team management put conscious effort in this direction, the positives have been more than the negatives,” Zaheer Khan explained.