IND-A vs SA-A | Twitter laughs as Siraj puts Senokwane on the spot by inquiring about potential dismissal

A second century in the match for Dhruv Jurel, a resoulte 85 from Harsh Dubey, and a blistering 65 from Rishabh Pant saw India A declare on 382/7 on the penultimate day of their second four-match encounter against South Africa A. With a 35-run first innings lead also in the pocket for the hosts, the Proteas representatives were set a target of 417 as their openers walked out to bat with just 11 overs remaining in the day. Mohammed Siraj took the new ball while Akash Deep and Prasidh Krishna split duties at the other end and with shiny SG doing all sorts on the green deck, the Indian quick had his tail-up hunting for a wicket. While the scalp never officially came, Siraj would like to believe he earned at least two of them — a conclusion he tried to ratify with the prospective victim himself.

On the third ball of the ninth over, Siraj steamed in from around the stumps and pitched the ball on length around fourth stump to Lesego Senokwane, who got in position for a backfoot defence. However, the red cherry seamed away viciously after hitting the deck, much like the Akash Deep delivery that had got the better of the right-hander in the first innings. The ball whizzed past the bat and into Rishabh Pant’s gloves, who threw up the ball as if to celebrate a wicket. It was all the cue Siraj needed as he continued to sprint in his follow through towards the cordon with his arms outstretched, and only turned back when he went past Senokwane who remained unmoved at the crease. Siraj made a couple of loud pleads to the umpire but with nothing doing, the pacer simply stood distraught hands on knees. The 31-year-old played one final card when he seemed to ask Senokwane himself whether he had nicked him, leaving the opener perplexed. Senokwane simply shrugged his shoulders, bringing a smile to Siraj’s face, before the hostilities continued.

Siraj once again squared up his counterpart on the final ball of the day and embarked on a celebrappeal, only to be denied in similar fashion much to Twitterati’s amusement.

Siraj was convinced