Siraj’s Oval roar puts him on ICC’s monthly shortlist

Mohammed Siraj’s nervy, never-say-die spell at The Oval has earned him a place on the ICC’s Player of the Month shortlist for August. The India pacer led a young attack through a long, bruising series in England and delivered when it mattered most in the fifth Test. His nine wickets in the match, including a decisive burst on the final day, sealed a six-run win and a 2-2 draw. It was a reminder of what India get when Siraj is in rhythm: relentlessness, heart, and wickets in crunch time.

Why Siraj is in the mix

Across five Tests, Siraj sent down over 185 overs and finished as the leading wicket-taker in the series with 23. He took four in England’s first innings at The Oval, then came back for a five-for under pressure in the chase. The final-day spell felt old-school: full lengths, wobble seam, and batters made to play. He walked away with Player of the Match and, now, a nod from the ICC panel.

Who joins him on the shortlist

Two fast bowlers keep Siraj company this month: New Zealand’s Matt Henry and West Indies’ Jayden Seales. Henry bossed a two-Test tour in Zimbabwe, taking 16 wickets at a stunning average and collecting awards along the way. Seales tore through Pakistan in a landmark ODI series win, capped by career-best figures of 6/18 in the decider. Different formats, same theme—pace setting the tone for winning teams.

The month that sealed it

• Siraj: nine wickets in the Oval Test, including a five-for in the fourth innings.

• Henry: twin hauls across Bulawayo Tests to drive a 2-0 result.

• Seales: 10 wickets in three ODIs as West Indies ended a 34-year wait against Pakistan.
  Each case is built on impact, not volume—spells that turned games and series, rather than quiet accumulation.

What this means for India

India’s seam group is deeper when Siraj is hunting, because it frees partners to attack in bursts. His engine allows captains to hold fields longer and stack slips without fear of drift. More than numbers, his Oval finish showed game awareness—when to go fuller, when to bang the deck, when to hold a channel. If that version of Siraj travels into the next cycle, India’s red-ball plans stay on solid ground.

Shortlist snapshot