HYDERABAD, 6 AUG

India pacer Mohammed Siraj on Wednesday landed in his hometown Hyderabad after a stellar performance in the intensely-contested drawn Test series against England, and enthusiastic fans made a beeline to welcome him.

Siraj was the leading wicket-taker in the five-match series. He played all five games and bowled a mammoth 185.3 overs.

The 31-year-old, along with the team's fielding coach T Dilip, first landed at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport terminal from London before heading to his home base. He was dressed in dapper black casuals, and a small group of fans gave him a joyous welcome.

There were requests for selfies and autographs, but Siraj quickly trooped into a car and left for the domestic terminal to catch the connecting flight to Hyderabad, where he was once again greeted by a group of adoring fans.

"We have not spoken to him yet. But we will certainly plan something (felicitation) for him, as he has been in the city for a while now. It's a matter of pride for all of us that he did so well for the country in the series against England," a Hyderabad Cricket Association official told PTI.

Siraj's most definitive effort came on the fifth day of the final Test at the Oval, when his singular grit helped India bowl out England for 367 in a chase of 374.

Siraj took five wickets in the innings to complete a match haul of nine wickets.

The six-run win, the slimmest in India's Test history, earned the visitors a highly admirable 2-2 draw in the series.

India skipper Shubman Gill was delighted to see Siraj stepping up in the absence of Bumrah, who was rested from the Oval Test as per a pre-decided workload management plan.

"He (Siraj) is a captain's dream, every ball, every spell he bowled, he came all out and gave it everything for the team," said Gill after the fifth Test.

On his part, Siraj said he always had the belief of taking his team to victory on the final day at the Oval. The visitors needed to pick four wickets while defending a paltry 35 runs.

"I always believe that I can win the game from any point, and this morning was no different," he had said.