Mohammed Siraj celebrates with Ajinkya Rahane after claming his first Test wicket in Melbourne on Saturday.
A day many in Hyderabad eagerly awaited was to see their favourite son Mohammed Siraj play his maiden Test match and pick his first Test wicket.
The 26-year-old pacer didn't had to make the Telangana capital wait any longer as he claimed the big wicket of Marnus Labuschagne in the second session of Boxing Day Test in Melbourne to send the city into a happy mood.
The burly pacer took 43 deliveires to pick his first wicket when Labuschagne edged, a thick one, to backward short leg.
The wicket reduced Australia to 143/5 and couldn't have come at a better situation as the hosts were looking to rebuild their innings through the highly-rated right-handed batsman, who missed his half century by mere 2 runs in the 123-ball innnigs.
Before Siraj's wicket, R Ashwin took two for 17, including the wicket of Australian batting mainstay Steve Smith, to give India the edge in the first session. Australia went to lunch at 65 for three wickets.
The hosts, who won the toss and elected to bat, lost the wicket of opener Joe Burns early with Jasprit Bumrah having him caught behind for duck.
Matthew Wade, who played aggressively for his 39-ball 30, helped Australia move to 35 before Ashwin removed him. Wade tried to take the attack to the bowler by trying a slog-sweep but instead top-edged it for Ravindra Jadeja to take a catch at mid-wicket.
